Falling Up
by Xo-SARCASTIC-oX
Summary: When you've got a Guy that gets everything,a Girl who's utterly stubborn,who both have problems brewing beneath the surface Throw in the dangerous,intimidating jungle that's high school,and it becomes a whole lot harder for opposites to attract.1000review
1. one

**Okay this is my second Fan Fiction. Please review and tell me what you think.**

**Don't Own Twilight! **

"_I can't believe this! I can't stay here anymore Charlie. The rain and… just this whole town are depressing. I hate it here, and if you're not willing to leave then I'll go without you."_

_I stood in the centre of the room watching my parents fight all over again. Except this time I wasn't a seven year old girl with fear in her eyes. This time I was 17 year old with tears of sadness in my eyes._

"_Renee, I can't help that. I can't just leave, my life is here!" Charlie yelled back tossing his arms up in the air, anger bubbling to the surface._

_After a pause Renee stood up straighter and sighed. "Then my life isn't." She said sharply with a note of finality. As soon as she said the words her mind was made up, there was no going back. A trait I picked up from her._

_I looked down at the small seven year old me sitting helplessly and lost on the couch. I knew what was about to come, and I wanted to somehow stop her from getting up off the couch, as she was now. I wanted to stop her from following her parent's yells into the hallway that led to the door._

_But I couldn't, it had already happened and this was nothing I could change. But I could hope that the past would somehow change, and that the little girl wouldn't get crushed in the next thirty seconds. But that was all I could do…hope._

_I followed after her, not wanting to, but my feet followed their own rules. They were following the footsteps of the little girl that was me. I watched as Renee grabbed her bags from beside the door that she had packed when she first started this whole fight, just to show that she meant what she was saying about leaving. I watched as Charlie grabbed hold of her arm before she could walk out the door._

_I heard the harsh words that will be burned into my fathers mind forever as a reminder of what he lost._

"_Just let me go Charlie." My father dropped his hand in defeat and together we watched as Renee turned and strode down the porch steps and out into the pounding rain. Charlie was paralysed on the spot, not even able to think about his daughter that was watching the whole thing beside him._

_The little girl ran after her mother, only now realising that her mum was actually leaving her. She stopped at the porch steps and shouted out into the rain, trying to get her mums attention as she hurried into her car. But her pleas were drowned by the thundering rain. Only I knew what was actually being said._

_Renee pulled out of the drive way quickly, not looking back at the husband and father she left behind. The little girl ran bare foot out onto the street as fast as she could, getting drenched in mere seconds. _

_She stopped in the middle of the road and watched as the woman that gave her life left without her and Charlie, ruining the happy family she could have had. The girl dropped onto her knees in the middle of the road and broke down sobbing. She was now drenched to the bone but she continued watching the road, crying, hoping that her mother would come back the way she left and make everything right again. But that hope was dead, just like the hope that the little girl wouldn't follow her arguing parents into the hallway, a hope that the past could change._

_I slowly followed the pathway till I got to the space where the little girl was still crying her eyes out. I kneeled down next to her and watched as her face continued to crumple in pain- the only sign that she was crying as the rain washed her tears away. I wanted to soothe the pain; although I knew that I wouldn't be able to, what's done is done._

_I reached out hesitantly to touch the girls pale cheek. I was only mere millimetres away and I was closer than usual to the girl. Maybe this time something more would happen in the dream this time._

_Just as my finger touched the pale skin of the girl I felt nothing but air beneath my fingers. My whole hand went right through her face and out the other side. But my hand didn't just drop like it should have, my whole body kept falling, like I fell through the ground. All I saw was darkness ahead of me and there was an annoying buzzing coming from somewhere._

_All of a sudden I felt like I was some how falling upward. It was a dizzy feeling and I felt like something was quickly pulling up towards the surface. _

- My eyes snapped opened then. I was lying flat on my stomach and I now realised why I felt like I was falling upwards, I was waking up. My alarm clock was buzzing like mad, but I wasn't annoyed that it had woken me up. It was more of a relief; I hated when I had that dream. Having to watch my mother leave over and over again and being able to nothing about it. It was hell.

Not long after my mother left she met this guy named Phil. He was from a rich family and could provide for my mother. But I think it just makes her a gold digger, she started going out with him a month after she left us, so it must have just been for the money. No body bounces back that fast after you've been married, had a child, and made a whole life with someone.

I slowly pulled the blankets off of me and welcomed the cold air that sent goose bumps all over my body. It was the easiest way to wake me up in the morning without having to go have another shower.

I went to my draws and started sifting through the crumpled up clothing. It was the first day of school today and I thought I should try to look nice- not make an impression, just look nice. Reputations and things like that don't matter to me. The whole thing is pointless and a waste of time. But it was just the way things went. On first days of school people tried to get them selves noticed, tried to get them selves known as something more than what they are.

At least that's what it is like at Forks high. I've never been anywhere else but forks, but people always wanted to be something they're not. And when they finally get there, they either turn into complete ass holes and like being that way, or are just unhappy jerks.

But either way, they love to be the people that others look up to and practically worship, even if they do the most stupid things in the world.

I mean this thing is BIG! There is practically a social hierarchy. And want to know where I am? Well I'm in a whole different pyramid of my own. If you drew it out on paper it would probably be set out like this: Two pyramids side by side. And I proudly drew the second one with out any help.

In the normal social pyramid, it ranges from cheerleaders and jocks to so called 'band geeks'- I personally don't get why people that are in band are called geeks, everybody likes music. They should be at the top of the hierarchy, not the cheerleaders that prance around when, lots of people don't like dancing! Anyway, it has many little sectors dividing it up, which means included is most of the school.

And in the other pyramid that I single handily started, well there are only two sectors. At the point in big letters is me, Bella Swan. And underneath are about three other people. Well okay, I know it doesn't sound like much people but believe me, we do make a difference. Our little… clique if you'd call it that, are like the opposition to the 'popular', so to speak.

To them we were losers, nothing but gum stuck on the bottom of their shoe, just like everyone else. But just because they thought of us like that, doesn't mean we let them treat us like it.

The other students who are 'wanna-be's' don't think of us like that though- they think we are crazy for messing with them, but they admire us for it. We aren't "social outcasts"- we have friends out of our circle. We are more…social delinquents- criminals to the schools unwritten laws, standing up to the jerks that have sticks permanently shoved up their butts, with no fear of being brought down by their words or power. Well that's what we say anyway.

Sure it seems childish and really stupid that this whole situation is taken so seriously, but high school is no longer an innocent place to learn and make friends.

No, high school is place filled with rivalry and insecurities, hidden underneath classes and teachers.

I eventually decided to not go to out of my way just because it's the first day back. I pulled on a denim mini skirt, calf-length black leggings and a pink tank top and a grey cropped jacket. It was pretty normal and not to different to the usual clothing. Plus, I'd be in a jacket most of the day anyway. This is forks after all.

When I got downs stairs Charlie had already gone to work so I was alone. It was like living by myself at times. I was never sure if it were a good thing or a bad thing.

I grabbed a breakfast bar and headed out the door and to my truck. The loud roar gave me a small shock as it had been so quiet just short seconds ago in the house. I started on the ten minute drive to school and thought of how this year would turn out. If there would be any new kids that would be desperate to fit in and become one of the mindless clones. Or they could be like Emmett McCartney was; we all thought when he arrived he would be one of the idiots that crave attention, especially since the amount of muscle he has- it has to be to get somebody's attention. But no, he was a person who wasn't interested in fitting in and being accepted. He was a teddy bear at heart just with a rough exterior.

You would think that after Emmett came along I would stop judging people by just looking at them. But no, I have come to find that a lot of my assumptions have been correct. It was a rare thing to come across someone who didn't mind being different and not going with the crowd.

As I pulled into the parking lot I made sure to park as far away from the silver Volvo. It was the most expensive car in the lot and belonged to know other that Edward Mason.

How to explain Edward Mason? Well, he's at the top of the social ladder, football captain, student body president and a player to the max. He gets any girl he wants and then when he is finished with them, he makes it seem as though the girl was lucky to even be with him.

His family is rich and that would be a reason a lot of the girls like him. But then again I think girls would like him even if he didn't have a lot of money, he is unbelievably and annoyingly gorgeous. It's annoying because he knows it and works it to his advantage. Plus he just loves to be a smart arse to me, but I don't mind so much, I get to be a bitch to him in return and lets be honest, sometimes our little arguments are actually fun. Sure we tease but we don't let it get to us.

As I got out of the truck, jacket folded over my arm, I fumbled with my keys and it fell into a puddle at my feet. I bent down to get it and as I picked them up I saw a pair of feet in front of me.

I jerked upright and saw that it was just Mason leaning casually against my truck, arms folded. I copied his posture and folded my arms over my chest and tried to stare him down. He shrugged away from the truck and circled me slowly. I stood still knowing that he was about to start with his idiot comments.

"Looks like Cindabella is trying to impress someone this year." Edward said as he stopped in front of me. He gestured to my clothing with an expectant expression on his face. I hated when he called me Cindabella and he knew that. It just made me seem as though I was a slave to him.

I smiled sweetly and replied, "Well it seems as though it caught your eye eddikins." HA! Take that Mason, I knew he hated that name. It made him sound like the whiny little wis bag he really was.

"No actually, _annoying_ catches my eye."

I put my hand over my heart and wore a proud expression before I pretend curtsied and said, "Well I'm glad to be in your line of sight, causing you irritation is a great honour."

This only made him amused and he pressed his lips together to try and hide his smile. "Nah, really now, _girl_ catches my eye, as well as annoying so I just couldn't help my self. I had to come over here."

I slipped my jacket on and began to walk around him so I could get to my first class, which unfortunately he was in. he followed after me, easily keeping pace. "Speaking of girls, where is your little puppet of the week? Because, you know, you could go find someone that actually enjoys your presence." I said wanting him to go away.

He grabbed hold of my arm and brought his face dangerously close to my own. "What if I wanted you to be the puppet?" He whispered. I was shocked at first but soon regained my composure. This was probably the way he gets all his girls, dazzling and flirting. It wasn't going to work with me.

I smiled mischievously up at him. "I'd say the puppeteer is wasting his time." I lifted my foot off the ground and brought it down hard onto his foot, he jumped back making him let go of my arm. He sucked in a breath and held it looking up at the sky until the twinge in his foot left.

"Don't touch me again." I said coldly before leaving to go to first period.

As I walked something really came to my attention. I was almost Edward Mason's new project! Every other girl would probably be squealing and jumping up and down at this point, but not me. Maybe if he wasn't a jerk and if he wasn't like the guy that my mum is with, I would give him a shot.

I walked into building 3 and looked to see if my friend Angela was here yet. She was one of my best friends. She was quiet, like I used to be. I still am sort of, it's just when the time comes to stand up to people I will with out a second thought.

I spotted her in the back left corner of the room. I walked down the isle to sit next to her. We began talking about the usual, what we did during our break and everything. Emmett was supposed to be in this class as well but he hadn't showed up yet.

Just as the bell ran Edward came running into class, looking a little dishevelled. He ignored the teacher's warnings completely and looked around the room for a seat. Of course he could get any seat he wants to but he chooses to sit in the one in front of Angela and me. Emmett still wasn't here yet, and I wished more than ever he could be as there was no one else sitting in the seat in front of us, which is where Emmett would sit, so Edward sat with his back up against the wall and put his legs up on the other chair. The teacher didn't notice as he was writing stuff up on the board for us to copy down so everyone was talking still.

He faced the front trying to look innocent and started whistling 'ode to joy'. I kept quiet knowing that he wanted me to start with him. Slowly he turned his head to look at me from the corner of his eye. And when he saw I was looking quickly turned back to the front still whistling.

I smiled involuntarily as he began to turn again. His eye caught mine and he turned quickly away. I knew he was doing it on purpose to be annoying but I couldn't help but find it amusing.

"You look awful." I noted as I gestured to his messed up hair and his shirt collar sticking up. He looked back to me a little too eagerly with a proud smile upon his face.

"Why thankyou. So do you."

I ignored his comment and continued, "What'd you do, run a marathon?"

He smiled bigger and shrugged. "Jessica wanted to say hello." After a second I then realised what he meant by that.

I scoffed and shook my head in disgust, "Yeah in the janitor's closet." He shrugged again and turned back to the front. "You're a complete Jerk."

Angela kept quiet through out the whole ideal and didn't give her opinion on the situation. Edward turned back around to me and had an evil smile on his face. He was about to start on the teasing and come backs. He opened his mouth to talk but got cut short as the door slammed open.

Everyone looked up to see Emmett come through the door. He gave a slip to the teacher and came down to where Edward sat. He looked down at Edward's feet on his chair and then met Edward's eyes. He looked very intimidating right now and after a few seconds of staring each other down, Edward reluctantly moved his feet.

I looked to Angela and found she had the same grin as I did on her face. I looked back at Emmett as he unpacked his books. He caught my eye and winked before turning back to the front.

Edward had sunk into his seat and didn't turn around once more during that lesson, but I knew that it wouldn't last long. I had biology with him after lunch and none of my close friends were in that class.

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**And who would you want the other person to be in the 'opposition pyramid'. It can't be Mike, jasper, Rosalie, Lauren or Jess. But anyone else from the story it can be.**


	2. two

**Wow seems you guys really like this story! I'm glad you like it too. D**

**Do not own twilight.**

The rest of the day past by fast with nothing eventful happening, and before I knew it I was standing in the lunch line. The cafeteria was a place where all the students get put into their places. It was stupid. I sat with Emmett, Angela and Alice in the table in the far corner, which is as far as we could get from 'the popular'.

They happened to be dead centre, surrounded by all the 'want to bee's', and that's the way they liked it. They almost always were surrounded by people, flanked on either side by the cronies they call friends.

They being, Rosalie Hale, queen of the pyramid, blonde, blue-eyed, tan, model body, bitch of the century and her followers, Jessica Stanley and Lauren Mallroy.

Jessica was the school gossip; she found out everything and gave out everything. That girl couldn't keep a secret if her life depended on it. Jessica knew everything about everyone. She was short but her hair made up for that- people say that the reason her hair is so big and curly is because of all the gossip and secrets she intakes. Jessica was always Rosalie's right hand girl, always standing to the right of her.

And then there is Lauren Mallroy, not very bright and tries to model herself off Rosalie. As in she has grey-blue eyes but decides to wear tapis lazuli coloured contacts because they look like Rosalie's. Also Lauren tried to copy her latest hairstyle, well…not pretty; Rosalie practically dragged her back to the salon and made the hairdressers cut shorter and shorter till it resembled nothing like her own. Which was sad since she had layers and now Lauren's hair is a little above her shoulders and that's after a month of hair growing. Lauren is always Rosalie's left hand girl, always to the left.

And then you have the boys. Lets just say Edward Mason, king of the pyramid and therefore over all the guys in our year- except Em. He and Rosalie had dated for a while but then again, he has dated a lot of people and none of them last very long. But he also has little cronies that follow him all the time unless told not to. They were the 'terribly persuasive Jasper Whitlock' and the 'annoyingly persistent Mike Newton'.

I honestly think they both try to model themselves off of Edward. It might just be because he gets the girls so they think that copying him will get those them to. Where as girls model themselves off of Rosalie because she's beautiful- and everyone deep down wants feel beautiful to some extent, not because they want to attract lots and lots of the gender they like. But that is just an assumption.

Well Jasper is pretty much a smaller and less good-looking Edward. Don't get me wrong Jasper is good looking just not in the same way as Edward.

As some of the girls have said, "Edward mason is a fn machine.", followed by a whole lot of hand fanning.

Jasper is very charismatic and from what I've picked up, is very good with the ladies when he wants to be- and I _swear_ that Ms Montgomery has had a HUGE crush on him ever since he sweet talked her out of giving him detention. I think I would like Jasper more than any of the others; he isn't with girl after girl, he's a _little_ more mature and really isn't as annoying.

Speaking of annoying, Mike Newton. Well just hope that he doesn't have a crush on you cause then you will never be able to shake him off. Mike has a babyish face with blue eyes, he wasn't as tall as the other guys at around 5'11", and he always had his hair gelled into spikes like the boys did in middle school but overall, he was considered a good looking kid, but not my type in any _way_ or _form_. The problem with Mike was when your friends with a guy that can get any girl he wants, and the girls would rather be with him over you, you tend to get a little jealous. And that then makes a very persistent Mike who won't take no for an answer cause Edward never gets a no.

After paying for my food I made my way through the sea of students and got to our secluded area. I sat down next to Alice- my other best girl friend, which was in the process of angrily taking huge chunks out of her pizza and glaring towards the centre of the room. I didn't think Alice would be one of those girls that eat her feelings but I guess I was just proven wrong.

"Alice…are you okay?" I asked hesitantly. She was either going to burst out and throw a fit, rant or both. There wasn't much that could get her this angry.

She dropped her pizza and swallowed. Alice turned to face me, took a deep breath and opened her mouth to start explaining.

"It's that idiot Jasper Whitlock! Oh my lord!" She looked up to the ceiling and made her hands look like se was choking someone.

"So what happe-" I tried again to get the real answer but she cut me off starting the rant.

"He was trying to get out of detention _again_! And he started practically FLIRTING with the teacher. So what do I do? I step in and give him my opinion." I opened my mouth to speak but she continued on anyway. "That he is a complete and utter imbecile that is so low that he has to get all _sly_ and _flirtatious_ with the teachers! I mean what the fudge?"

I nodded and let her finish before I decided to talk. There was no point in trying to interrupt her.

"And then while I was talking- and you know how I much I talk, he manages to interrupt me"- okay I guess there is only one person in this world that can interrupt her, hmm… "and starts saying repeatedly, 'Relax, relax, gosh, calm down! Relax…'" She made her voice deeper and tried to sound like him but made the voice sound more stupid and made goofy faces. I tried not to crack up at the faces she was making. It was a cross between a clown with a big idiot smile while rolling his eyes and an old loony bin with a murderous look. Not an easy thing to do but she managed.

By then Emmett and Angela had come and sat down. Emmett opened his mouth to ask but Alice brought her hand out, making a stop motion and through clenched teeth said, "Do _not_ ask…" She then turned to look at the cafeteria doors hatefully.

I looked to my friends worried faces and mouthed 'I'll explain later', they nodded and started eating. I though it better not to disturb Alice's thinking time so I took a bite from my apple.

"Oh and speak of the devil…ses…and ses." Alice muttered darkly, I heard Emmett laugh at Alice's use of words. I looked over to the doors also and saw Edward, Jasper and Mike coming through the door. I hated this moment that happened almost everyday, all the girls are enjoying their friends company peacefully and then who walks in? The three hot musketeers, and all those girls eyes just get stuck on them, their chatter stops and their eyes happen to travel up and down their bodies as they walk gracefully to their _royal_ table.

But as usual I rolled my eyes and looked away not wanting to give them more satisfaction. But Alice does what she normally does, glares at the three of them. If there was one person that hated Edward Mason more than me, it would be her. And I didn't even know why, Edward and she hardly ever speak. As for Mike she just thinks he's annoying and stupid as do our whole table…I think. Angela doesn't really talk about him much, well she actually doesn't like talking bad about anyone, which is one of the reasons I love her. She's so pure of heart.

"Just ignore them Alice" Angela said placing her hand Alice's for a second comfortingly.

"Yeah, don't worry about them Alice. I mean I can take care of them for you, like I took care of Mason for Bella and Angela this morning." Emmett, Angela and I smiled at the memory. "Isn't it Rosalie's little wish they were plastic trio you should be glaring at?"

After a second of Alice contemplating before answering, something seemed to dawn on her. "What was Edward doing to you today?" She asked, anger coming back into her features. Again, I had no idea how or why she got so angry at the mere mention of him.

"He was just being annoying." Angela replied simply, not caring so much about the situation.

"A-and he also kind of asked me out this morning…" I added slowly looking at the table. I slowly raised my head to see their faces, Angela merely looked surprised but then shrugged it off and Emmett and Alice were shocked and then angry. Their faces scared me a little; as much as I hated him I didn't want them to go kick his butt in the middle of lunch. "But I took care of him!" I amended quickly.

"What did you do?" Emmett's face was now amused and curious but Alice's was still not very happy looking.

"I stamped on his foot as hard as I could" I said with pride evident in my voice. Angela rolled her eyes and Emmett smiled appreciably. But Alice just looked kind of sad; she had resorted to staring at the table.

When it was almost time for class to start we all got up and dumped our trays. I said good bye to everyone and headed my separate way. To biology it was…and unfortunately Edward Mason.

When I got into the class room Mr Banner hadn't arrived yet so people were turned around in their seats and talking to people across the room. I chose a seat that was not right in the centre but just out to the side. I knew nobody would actually sit next to me, everyone knew Edward was in this class so everybody sits with their respective group. Its just the way things are.

The bell rang for class to start and the teacher still wasn't here…and neither was Edward for that matter. Maybe he decided to jig or something…Not that I cared, really.

Five minutes into class and the teacher was still not here. I could hear the students starting to think up reasons for the teacher's absence, but I soon toned it out. I wasn't really interested init anyway. If the teachers not here, good, enjoy it while it lasts.

I started thinking about what was up with Alice. She was usually a happy type of person, not over the top crazy- but sometimes it came out a little- but happy but when ever it comes to Edward or parents she gets all weird and defensive. But she would never talk about it, just ignore it or change the subject. But I decided a while ago that I wouldn't push her into telling me even if it is what I think would be best for her.

Just then Mr Banner and Edward came through the door. Everyone quickly righted themselves in their seats and I noticed the girls perk up at the sight of Edward, some even fluffing out their hair. Pathetic, I looked at the rain drops sliding down the window. It was the only thing I liked about rain, watching the drops separate into two and sliding down their own paths or joining onto another's. That was when I heard someone clearing their throat from the side of me.

I turned; irritated that someone had interrupted my pointless staring. It was Mason also looking annoyed and yet mischievous. I looked around and saw that most of the students were staring and the teacher was busy writing on the board what we had to do today. When I looked back and met his eyes he began talking.

"That's my seat." He gestured to the seat I was sitting in. I laughed once not believing what I was hearing.

"There wasn't assigned seating last year and there isn't this year."

"Yeah…but I always sit next to the window in the middle row." He said as though this was the most obvious thing in the world.

I looked around again but this time for effect and gestured to a corner in the front of the room that was surrounded by girls…and had one empty seat in amongst them- gee wonder who that was saved for?

"Why don't you go sit over there with the girls you don't actually like but love to be with." I replied sharply pointing in that direction. It was the only other empty seat besides the one next to me, and I am surprised he is even bothering to fight over this.

He leaned forward across the spare table next to me and whispered bitingly, "I don't like sitting at the front."

"Even though you would be sitting with your '_type_'" I used his previous words against him, 'girl is my type'. He didn't do anything so I continued. "…I don't like the front either" I whispered back in the same tone.

"Well you could always just sit next to me." He asked in a suggestive tone that all the other girls would do anything to hear again.

"Like all the other girls? Let me think…No thanks." I shuddered to get my point across. He scoffed at this, oh yeah he was up himself.

"Well you always have been special in the head Bella."

"Yeah well, you are the only one that knows about my specialness as you were there with me the whole way. I mean who else had to show me around the asylum than someone who's been living there way longer." I replied sarcastically with a smile. His face dropped, he had nothing to say to that with out sounding like a little whiny baby.

"You're not going to move are you?"

In reply I placed my elbows on the table and rested by chin on my hands with a smile that said, 'answer your question?' He got the point.

"Mr. Mason, please sit down before I really do call your parents." Mr Banner warned. So that's why they were both late, he was getting in trouble. Ha-ha sucker. Edward turned to the teacher and pointed at me accusingly.

"Sir, she wont get out of my seat." I huffed and shook my head. He was being so childish.

"Mason just sit in the seat next to her or you'll be sitting by yourself." I much preferred him sitting by himself but he quickly sat down after that, dang. "Okay class, today you are just going to be working from the text book. The pages and questions you have to answer are on the board, remember answer in full sentences." He came around and handed out the books and told us to get to work. We had to share a book between two so I was stuck working with Edward.

I opened the book trying to get stuck into my work and block out Edward who was bound to be irritating as usual.

I started reading through the pages, but once I got to the next page that was on Edward's part of the table I had to lean forward, bringing me closer to Edward.

"Oh Bella I didn't know you wanted me this bad. At least wait till we are out of the public eye. I'm not that desperate." He murmured quietly enough so just I could hear. I made my hand into a fist and hit him in the chest with out taking my eyes off the page. I heard him laugh quietly.

I turned the page and was surprised there were no complaints from him saying he wasn't finished yet. I guess he was a fast reader, who knew?

This time it was him that leaned over. I still hadn't moved so his face was right by my ear. It felt very…odd having someone breathing on my neck and I felt goose bumps rise all over my body.

I turned to face him and his face was right there, innocently scanning over the page. I lifted the same hand and pressed it flat against his cheek and shoved him away. He looked at me confused, _as if_ he didn't know.

"Personal air bubble" I whispered, glaring. I turned back to the book and from the corner of my eye I saw him frown. But he didn't bug me again, and again I was surprised that he wasn't being an idiot.

We were the first to finish the work on the board which left me with nothing to do. Edward had got on with his work silently and didn't bug me once through the entire thing. I peeked at him from the corner of my eye and found that he wasn't looking my way. Since he wasn't looking I rested my head on elbow and watched him.

I didn't understand him at all. I thought I did, girls, popularity, girls…but today he was paying extra attention to me. Even if it was him being annoying it was still a lot more attention he has given me before.

"Fantasising?" Edward asked randomly in a knowing voice, nodding his head in and understanding way. Only then did I realise that I was still staring at him. He thought I was fantasising about him! Dream on bucko.

In all honesty I was embarrassed. I had worked very hard to learn how to not blush so much and I had to try VERY hard right now to stop one from forming. That would just boost his ego even more.

I rolled my eyes as a cover up and looked away. I hoped he would stay silent after that like he had earlier but my luck didn't hold out.

"Bella?"

"Yes" I responded warily, I didn't trust him.

"Remember how you said this morning not to touch you again?" I turned to look at him and nodded, as smile came on my face.

"Right after I stood on your foot."

"…Yeah…" his face was priceless right now, he looked ticked. He definitely didn't like being messed with, especially by a girl.

He grabbed my wrist suddenly and I was tempted to bite his hand so he'd let go. But before I could do anything he started moving his finger around in front of my face. I had no idea what he was doing but I waited patiently until he stopped being stupid and got on with it. Finally he pointed his index finger right between my eyes, not quite touching but very close.

"Am I touching you now?" he asked in a cheeky, childish sounding voice.

"No" I sighed already bored with his games.

"Yes I am." He looked very sure with himself and I hated it. He was practically calling me dumb, I would know if someone had their hand on my face.

"No you're not."

"Yes I am." Okay, so I probably should just end it here but no. My short temper flared and I retaliated, especially since he had an amused smirk on his face.

"No, you are not!" I raised my voice a bit louder. It was such a stupid thing to be fighting about but he just gets to me in ways others don't even compare to.

"Yes! I am touching you." he yelled it too and I realised that the whole class went quiet after he said. It sounded like he meant something else by that and I blushed at what I knew people would be thinking. Edward raised my arm by the wrist that he was still holding on to…oops.

"What do you call this?" He said in a tone that definitely made me sound like a toddler.

I stared at my wrist that he was still holding a little longer than necessary and then met his eyes. "I call this shut up." I snapped and then ripped my arm away and looked out the window, embarrassed that he had outsmarted me even in the most trivial thing.

"Ms Swan, Mr Mason would you please go wait outside the class room? Just because you like to disturb each other doesn't mean you should be allowed to disturb the rest of the class." The teacher said coming over to stand in the front of our table. I opened my mouth in shock and took the walk of shame out of the class room. I could feel Edward right behind me. Once the door was closed I turned around and shoved him as hard as I could.

"Idiot! Look what you made happen."

"I'm not the one that started yelling." I turned my back to him, glaring at the wall. "Besides its not important, it's not like he is going to ring your dad, it was nothing." I spun around to face him.

"It was nothing? I just got kicked out of class with _you_. Do you know how many people will be talking and then Charlie will find out. There are no secrets in Forks!"

He paused for a few seconds, looking like he was really thinking over what I said. "I still think you're over reacting. What's so bad about being seen with me? Girls love to be seen with me…Why don't you?" He looked truly frustrated by this thought and again I was amazed he held such an interest in me.

"…I-I don't trust you. And how can I when you're a player and go from girl to girl, dropping them like flies with out a care for how they feel. You're a jerk." I finished. I thought I was being to nice by actually admitting what I really thought so I added the last bit in.

He stayed quiet after that and I just turned away from him until the teacher told us we could come back inside.

Gym was uneventful as usual-well apart from my falling and hitting people in the wrong places; we were playing dodge ball. The only thing even mildly exciting was when Ben Cheney tripped, fell onto Mike and made him peg the ball that was being aimed at Emmett, at Coach Clapp, who got a bleeding nose and yelled at Mike for almost 10 minutes. Yep, not exciting at all.

Since our class had been let out early due to the coach's early disappearance I headed out to the car park to leave. Most of the other students in class had decided to just stick around and wait for their friends. Emmett had football practise after school so he stayed behind.

I was just about to round the corner to get to the parking lot, but stopped in my tracks when I heard two familiar voices yelling at each other.

"Listen, just stay away from her!" I heard Alice yell.

"Why the hell should I? It's none of your business Brandon." Edward sneered her last her name sounding just as angered. I wondered what had brought on their sudden go at each other…although it probably wouldn't take much.

"She's my friend and you are probably just like the thing you call your father" She spat out the word 'father'. And they were talking about me. "I don't want her getting hurt. Plus, she doesn't want you, she's said it once she'll say it again" She finished.

"Look, just because you weren't want-" Edward started but I thought now would be a good time to cut in before anything to harsh was said.

"What's going on here?" I asked confused. I had a feeling they wouldn't tell me but I could hope…right?

Their heads both snapped towards my direction and their eyes were filled with hate. I was startled at their expressions, there was obviously a lot more going on than I thought.

"Nothing." They both said coldly at the same time. Edward looked back at Alice for a second before spinning around and walking swiftly in the other direction. My eyes followed after him before they returned to Alice. She was looking at me sort of upset and I wanted to comfort her.

I took a step forward and placed my hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off and took a few steps back. "Just don't Bella. Don't ask and don't worry, I'll tell you when I'm ready." With that said she went to her car and drove off, leaving me alone in the large parking lot.

I walked slowly to my truck deep in thought and got in. I paused before I started the engine. I felt like I was being watched. I looked around the parking lot and found Edward staring at me from his car. When he caught my eye he smiled and wrapped his hand around his wrist, wagging it up and don't in front of him. Then touched his finger to his temple and rolled his eyes, the sign saying that I was a complete dill-brain.

I then scowled and tried to look as scary and angry as possible. This only seemed to make him amused and he yelled,

"I'll call you!"

I can't believe him!

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Well you will soon find out whats up with Alice and Edward. ( Thanks bears12, you know whats up). Anyways... ,u other story should be updated soon and the next chapter to this should beup next week.

LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL...next week. OH wellz can't wait!

anyway tell me what you think, why you think, suggestions, ideas. review

XoXoXoXo

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	3. three

And let me tell you…he did call, over and over again until I felt like pulling the cord out of the phone. I don't even know how he got my number, but he did. There are probably some sell outs in the school, giving him anything just because he's a pretty boy. Stupid people!

When I first picked up the phone it was,

"Hey Bella"

"This is she…who is this?"

"Why only your knight in shining armour" and with that said I knew who it was and I hung up. Seconds later, ring ring…ring ring.

"Hello?"

"Hello?" this person speaking sounded really…weird. It was a high pitched voice but too high pitched so you could tell it was fake.

"…Hello?" I tried again as the person didn't say anymore.

"…Hello?" This time the person said it in a sing-song voice and you could tell the person was smiling. "Hello….Hello, hello, hello, hello." The person continued doing this in all different accents and tones. I waited getting more impatient with each hello. After a minute of it I decided to just hang up, it was most likely Edward anyway.

I went back to the kitchen table where the recent book I was reading was waiting. I didn't have any homework since it was the first day back so it was all I could do until I could start cooking dinner.

After about ten minutes the phone rang again. This is the most calls I have gotten ever before in half an hour.

"Hello?" I asked warily. It was probably Edward again. But this time I could hear a button being pushed and then a baby sounding voice started.

"Shis is my new car." The baby voice said and then proceeded to make car noises in that same little voice.

"Brrrrrrrrm, brrrrrrrrrrrrrrm, tu, tu, tu, tu, brrrrrrrrm, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh" the 'ah's sounded almost like a baby screaming but the noises did resemble a race car sort of. After it stopped I heard Edward laughing in the background.

I hadn't said anything and decided not to. I shouldn't encourage him by yelling at him for being a nuisance and pointless. I hung up the phone and went back to my book. He would most likely call again, and he could, I would just let it go to voice mail.

And yes, soon after the machine went to speaker and the message rang through, "Hi you've reached the swan residence please leave your message after the tone." _beep_.

I put my book down and straightened up listening for what was about to be said. After a second I heard another beep of a phones button and then a man with an accent I couldn't recognise began talking.

It was a whole lot of profanities being said by man with an accent and telling- more like ordering to pick up the phone and impersonating the ringing noise.

After that much I clicked the cancel button as fast as I could. That was just…odd. If Charlie had come home and listened to that message he would have a heart attack. It was practically verbal abuse through a voice mail…and it was Edwards fault.

I ran up to my room and looked around for my middle school year book. In the back of the book there was a list of every bodies contact details…if they were bothered to write them in. I flipped to the back and was surprised and happy to find Edwards home number written there.

I made my way back downstairs and to the phone. I dialled the number and waited impatiently for it to be picked up. After a few moments Edwards amused voice answered, "Hello Cindabella. I said I would call you"

"So I guess you find it amusing to verbally harass people over the phone." I snapped. He didn't answer at first but then replied in an innocent voice, too innocent.

"It was the Greek man, not me.", as I said, too innocent, over the top innocent. He sounded like a child and was so lying on purpose to get me annoyed.

"Yeah and I suppose that in your living room you have a woman that sounds like a freaking lady being ripped to shreds by a man-eating tiger, with claws 15 cm long. And, and a super smart baby that can talk but is dumb cause he thinks he drives a car and makes stupid little sound effects, as _well_ as a foul mouthed Greek man that had nothing better to do than verbally harass me."

He didn't reply at first but when he did he sounded amused again, which of course just made me angrier. "You have quite the temper don't you?" he paused then. "And what if I said that the woman that was apparently being ripped apart by a tiger with 15 cm long claws was my mother?...And also that baby was an imitation of me when I was young… 'But is dumb cause he thinks he drives a car'" he quoted in a insulted tone. "Are you saying that I was a dumb child?"

I paused for effect, "Do you really want me to answer that?" no answer, "Didn't think so. Now really how did you do it?"

"They're in my mobile. I got blue toothed them by my friends for different phone conversations, you play them in the background." Wow, he was actually being honest with out any fuss.

"Oh" that was all I could come up with to say. I felt as though I should say more, as though it was a responsibility to make conversation with him. This was completely backwards considering I called to scream at him for being a pain in the behind. I thought of something to say and my curiosity about Alice and his hateful relationship came to mind.

"What's up with you and Alice? I mean what did you do to her to make her so angry?"

There was silence on the other end for a long time and I started to think he had left the phone hanging.

"It was her mothers fault not mine, lets leave it at that." With that said he hung up with out another word. It shouldn't have hurt to be hung up on by him but it did and that surprised me. I guess it was just because it's rude to do that and it's never been done to me before…well that's what I'll keep telling myself.

But what about what he said. It was Alice's mothers fault not his. But when Alice was talking earlier she said that his father was the bad one. This just made it more confusing. Instead of answering questions he just made more spring to life.

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The next day at school I was strangely anxious to see Edward. He would probably be the easiest to get information from, he's lazy and gives up on things quickly, his relationships for example. But when I pulled into the parking lot his car was there but not his body, which was odd as he usually waits there in the morning, a good place to see- more like perve- and be seen. But he wasn't there today. Well I would be able to see him in English and biology for sure.

"Hey Bella" Emmett's voice came from behind me. I turned around and was met with a big smile. I returned it and replied.

"Hey Emmett, how was your first day back yesterday?" I hadn't actually gotten a chance to talk with Emmett that much yesterday, considering Alice's little mood swing in lunch.

"It was…eh, as usual. But football practise was weird; you know Masen came in looking pretty mad." This got my attention and this seemed like an opportunity to learn something.

"What did he say?" I asked hurriedly, too hurriedly. Emmett gave me a strange look and hesitantly answered.

"Why do you want to know? ...Cause he was talking about you for a bit. Were you with him or something?" he still had that weird look on his face and I realised that he thought I was with, as in something going on with Edward.

"…No! No…no, no, no…EW, no." the EW seemed to give him peace of mind. But it soon cleared and there was now curiosity.

"Then why do you need to know?"

The truth of the matter is I can't lie even if my life depended on it so I annoyingly said the truth…part truth. "Well…he was arguing with Alice yesterday. It was pretty heated to; they were trying to break each other down."

His face turned to one of anger and worry, "He didn't hurt her did he? Because if he did…"He trailed off shaking his head. Emmett's brotherly instincts coming into play. The way he saw it we were his girls- in a non-sexual way-, his sisters and he thought it was his responsibility to protect us.

"Oh don't worry; I stepped in before anything too harsh could be said. That's why I was wondering if he said anything about why he was mad, because he was fighting with Alice again and you know how she won't tell us what's wrong." He nodded in understanding, but then something occurred to me. "You said that Edward was talking about me…good or bad?"

He frowned and spoke in a disapproving tone, "I don't think even the flattering things he says are good bells. He's bad news." I felt almost giddy when he implied that Edward was saying flattering things about me, but coming from him that probably wasn't a good thing, he was probably bragging about things that didn't really happen.

"What kind of things?" I pressed really wanting and needing to know, it was the only way to keep my mind at peace, all thoughts of Alice and Edwards problems gone away.

"Guys don't gossip Bella." He sighed and I scowled.

"Yeah but when it comes to Edward Masen gossip is only a term used when the talk is about…how many packs he has. So you're not gossiping, you are merely…telling a story." I reasoned, hoping he would get what I was saying and answer me.

With a sigh he gave up. "He was saying things like how you liked him but were playing hard to get, blah, blah, blah and how he was going to get you no matter what. And that's when I started yelling at him, telling him to shut the f up and not to talk about people that way, etcetera, etcetera." As he was talking I felt my face drop, he was just being his usual idiot self, bragging about his latest goal. Emmett seemed to notice this and let out a disbelieving laugh.

"You like him!" he accused. I opened my mouth to protest but I knew he wouldn't buy it very well as I started blushing lightly.

"Emmett…it's impossible for me to like him. He's an idiot and selfish and so much more things I can't say. I don't like him _at all._ But honestly I can't help but feel…I don't know, a _little_ happy that _Masen_ is taking some interest in me." I stressed a lot of the words, hoping that my point got across.

"But that's the thing Bella; he takes an interest in _every_ girl. You shouldn't be surprised that he is showing any interest in you. He is like that with anyone that isn't male, old, young, ugly inside and out, obese, anorexic and the list goes on. What makes you think that you'd be any more special to him than all the others?"

His words struck a cord. If I wanted to I could have chucked a fit then. He was basically saying that I wasn't special enough to stand out above all the others, but I understood why he was talking to me like that. It was basically true what he was saying and he was making sure I understood that. But what I had said was also true, I didn't want to go out with him, but I was amazed he was taking any interest at all.

"Emmett, even if I did like him I wouldn't go out with him. I don't trust guys like him and I never will. It wouldn't workout at all; people that are that up themselves are just bad news." Emmett nodded slowly and then smiled, happy with my answer but there was still doubt in his eyes.

"Oi! Emmett!" Someone's voice I didn't recognise called. Emmett turned to see who it was and waved he turned back to me.

"I'll meet you in class okay." His face turned into one of mischief and he added, whispering in my ear, "Oh and he has a four pack by the way." and then left. I felt my neck and face turn red and I gasped in shock and embarrassment. I realised that he didn't believe that I didn't like him. Well I won't be so nice to him anymore. But although I didn't like him I couldn't help but think,

…_Not bad for such a lanky guy_

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When I got into class Angela wasn't there yet but Edward was. I walked down the isle and sat at the seat behind him. He didn't turn around or do anything to acknowledge I was there. What brought all this on? It was me that was supposed to be ignoring him.

"Hello Edward." I said politely, with no sarcastic edge at all. Which is a big thing for me when ever I talk to anyone that is part of the 'popular' group.

He turned slightly in my direction and replied with a simple, "Hey" and then turned back around. I stayed quiet after that, not bothering to talk or care about him at all. I couldn't help but stare at the back of his head through out the lesson. He didn't turn once and from what I could tell he didn't even have any smirk on his face indicating that he was doing this to annoy me.

This wasn't fair! I was supposed to be ignoring him, not him ignoring me!

That class went painfully slow. I kept waiting and waiting for him to show any signs that he knew I was staring intently at the back of his head. It never happened and I was more annoyed about that than I should be.

By the time lunch came around I managed to keep my eyes away from the popular table. I was thankfully being distracted by Alice and Angela's retelling of their eventful day.

But I soon got distracted and noticed that there was only 7 minutes left before class began. I started counting down the minutes till it got to an acceptable time to go to class. Finally it went down to five minutes and I realised how pathetic I was. Two minutes went by and I was practically in pain waiting for those two minutes to go by, just so I can get to class…

Way to go Bella, what an achievement, you must be proud of how lame you are.

I got up startling the others at the table. "Class is going to start soon." I explained and moved away from the table to dump my tray. I walked out of the lunch room and headed towards the biology room.

When I got inside I took my usual seat and waited for every one else to take their seats. I pulled out my note book and began drawing random things over the cover. I started drawing in the bottom left corner 'I (heart) Nerds' in liquid paper and then went over it in green. During this time I heard the chair next to me move but I paid no attention.

The final bell rang a few minutes later and I was really annoyed that he hadn't shown any sign that he knew that I was there next to him living and breathing.

Mr Banner began walking around the room handing out a sheet of paper to each person. I heard people moaning as they saw what was on the sheet.

"Sir, why aren't we doing a lab? At least that is better than doing book work." I heard Mike complain to the teacher across the room. I watched as the teacher rolled his eyes and moved on to the next table.

When he finally got around to everyone Mr Banner stood behind his desk and held up the sheet. "I know you all would rather be doing a lab right now, hoping that something will blow up. But we have to get all this stuff out of the way first. But to make it more fun for you I added a find a word at the back of the page if you finish early."

I looked to my left and saw Edward hunched over his paper writing the answers in quickly. I grabbed my pen from my pencil case and started mine as well. It wasn't a competition of 'who finishes their sheet first', but just the thought of him out smarting me in anyway was…unacceptable. He is an idiot who when he grows up deserves to live in the gutters. The truth was, as I peeked at his sheet I noticed that all his answers so far were correct, he was good at biology.

After forty five minutes of working on the actually difficult sheet the teacher gave us I finally finished. When I peeked to my left I saw Edward circling the words related to our topic in the find a word.

…so he is ignoring me for sure now…

I noticed that he had already found three words while I had found…none. I pulled out my seven different coloured highlighters- I liked to be neat when it came to these things instead of scribbling everywhere, and started scanning the rows. I was determined to beat him at this.

Twenty words later I was done and was now trying to figure out the hidden word. I heard Edward snicker beside me and when I finally got the hidden message I realised why.

_Mr Banner is cool_

"Mr Banner is cool? Sir did you write this?" Edward called out towards the teacher who was currently sitting at his desk.

The teacher looked up and noticed the sheet with Edward and quickly looked down. He was SO embarrassed, "Edward don't yell in the class room, put your hand up." He said this while still looking down pretending to read.

"Fine I'll put my hand up and ask then." Edward then raised his hand and when the teacher looked up began to speak again.

"Sir did you write this?" but as he was talking the teacher looked down again and looked as though he was muttering to himself. Yeah I bet he wished he hadn't made the find a word like that now. Edward continued waving is hand around in the air like a little kid and the movement was starting to catch people's eye.

I nudged him in the ribs to get him to stop, "Would you stop?"

He turned to glare at me and tried to imitate me, "Would you stop?"

I sighed and rolled my eyes while turning back to the front. "Idiot" I said under my breath. He wasn't supposed to hear that but he did anyway.

"Butt hole" he whispered in the same tone while leaning back into his chair with his arms crossed, the same way as me, a gesture of stubbornness.

"Ass hole" I responded almost immediately. This was a game I knew how to win.

"Ass wipe"

"Dick head"

"Dick knob" After he said this I didn't know what to say without getting to rude. So I said the first thing that came to mind. Emmett and mines conversation from this morning! He had said Edward would go out with young or old…

"Paedophile" I blurted out with out really thinking about whether I should have or not. I turned to the side to see his reaction.

"Bit-…What?" he turned to me then realising what I had accused him of. His face was incredulous with a hint of insulted. "What do you mean by that?" he pressed after I shrugged and looked away blushing like crazy. Truth be told I didn't like him being angry with me.

"Oh so you are talking to me again?" I asked, turning to face him, hand on my hip, attitude taking over my entire being.

"You're the one that always tells me to go away? What do you want from me?" Edward's voice rose so he was now practically yelling; he threw his arms up in the air and continued to glare.

"…I don't know" I whispered before I could stop myself. But then my anger came back and I started up again. "Look I don't know what your problem is but I bet it's hard to pronounce!" I yelled back at him, standing up from my seat. Even though I was standing I was still only about a foot higher than him.

"I'm the one with the problem? Have you looked in the mirror lately? You and I hardly say anything and you go and blow up on me!"

"What do you want me to say?" I yelled back, I could hear the hysteria coming into my voice and I just hoped that no one else could. I felt like crap arguing with him like this.

"I don't know something that everyone else says so we can actually have a real conversation!" His words stunned me. He wanted to talk to me for real not just hit on poor girls.

"So you want me to be like almost every other girl in this school and throw myself at your feet so I can just get used." I felt the tears brimming to my eyes. Edward seemed to have calmed down and a lock of shock and hurt crossed his face. He took a step back and I realised that we had been standing really close. I tore my gaze away from his face and noticed the whole class staring at us jaws slack, even the teacher.

"Principals office?" I guessed, directing it to the teacher. He nodded and I quickly packed my things up and shoved past Edward to get to the door. He was packing his things up slower than I was; that look of hurt still plastered into his features. I hated that when I got angry I cried cause as I made my way down the corridor the tears that were being held back tipped over and I was unable to wipe them away quick enough.

But I had a feeling I was crying from more than just anger.

**Okay so that was that. Um…Edward as you can probably tell likes Bella a lot more that she knows, so that's why he goes that they never actually talk and it really aggravates him…so yeah.**

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**Don't own Twilight **

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Review please. Tell me what you think! I didn't really like this chapter but you tell me!


	4. four

Do not own Twilight!

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All through out the rest of the week Edward and I ignored each other completely. And I actually wasn't enjoying it either. It was making me uneasy, seeing him there everyday and not being able to say anything. It wasn't even a deal we made with each other that we wouldn't talk. It was just an unspoken agreement even if it wasn't what either one of us wanted.

A few times during biology and the after school detention we got for the rest of the week, I felt myself taking in a deep breath to talk but it never came out. And sometimes I saw him shift in his seat to look at me, but when I went to look he was always looking the other way.

This was so stupid! I should be angry at him; he is completely up himself and doesn't care for any ones needs but his own. But yesterday he admitted in front of everyone in that class that he just wished that we could talk for real.

But…is that what I wanted? Is that what I really knew was going on?

That Edward Masen, playboy, was actually trying to commit to one person, or was I just kidding myself?

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_Just as my finger touched the pale skin of the girl I felt nothing but air beneath my fingers. My whole hand went right through her face and out the other side. But my hand didn't just drop like it should have, my whole body kept falling, like I fell through the ground. All I saw was darkness ahead of me and there was an annoying buzzing coming from somewhere._

_All of a sudden I felt like I was some how falling upward. It was a dizzy feeling and I felt like something was quickly pulling me up towards the surface. _

- My eyes snapped open once again like every morning to the grey forks light flooding through my window. No matter how many times I have the same dream over and over again I never get used to the feeling of falling upwards. It's always the same yet still manages to make me dizzy. I just wish that for once things wouldn't be predictable. But as I've thought before, assumptions are usually correct as people have grown predictable. Well people have begun following stereotypes.

Pulling the bed spread off of me and welcoming the cold air, I lazily walked over to my dresser and started rummaging through everything for something to wear. When I finally decided on what I was going to wear, I pulled on the in unescapable jeans a plain t-shirt and a hoddie that had 'Sexy Seventeen' written across it.

I shuffled down the creaky old stairs and into the kitchen where Charlie was sitting reading the newspaper, while eating his bacon and eggs. I walked around the kitchen, not really seeing where I was going, but knew what I would find as it was routine. The only thing that changed in this routine most of the time was that sometimes Charlie was there others not.

"Morning Bella" Charlie spoke not taking his eyes away from the paper, while I just sat with my cereal getting soggier and soggier, still half asleep.

"mhmm" I couldn't be bothered trying to make conversation, let alone open my mouth. This was probably the reason my cereal still sat untouched. With a sigh I picked up the cold spoon and began shovelling it in, knowing that I had probably just wasted heaps of my 'getting ready for school time'.

When I finally managed to finish my breakfast I went back up the stairs and into the bathroom to brush my teeth and hair. When I looked at my self in the mirror after all my final adjustments had been made, I promised my self that I would start over. A new week, a new good mood, which would entail being my usual smart ass self with 'the popular'- I think I have been getting to close and touchy feely with Edward.

And take my last bad week and see it as humorous rather than a pain in the backside.

After grabbing my bag I ran out into the misting rain and into the cover of my truck. I started on my drive to the school that was pretty much the heart of the town. I made sure to park as far away from the silver Volvo as much as I could. I didn't want to see him more that I have to, he wasn't going to ruin my start on a good week.

As I got out of the truck and looked around the parking lot, I couldn't see any of my friends. Although my eye did catch that of Edwards, who was leaning against his car, with Jessica playing with the bottom of his shirt. But he wasn't looking at her; his gaze was fixed on mine. I might have actually felt something other than repulsion when he looked at me, but Jessica was still playing around with his shirt playfully.

So I rolled my eyes and went off to my first period class. I mean he has Jessica pretty much right up against him and he chooses to let her continue with that but looks at me with these longing green beautiful eyes. What's up with that?

I looked straight a head as I walked past Edwards car, but stopped mid step when I heard Jessica addressing me, not politely either.

"Ah, look who it is…a social reject" I stopped and turned around to face her with a mischievous smile on my face, a glare in my eyes.

"Well at least I'm not a backstabbing bitch" I called over in an overly happy voice, a challenging look in my eyes. Jessica saw it and took a step forward, while I stood with an unfazed smile on my face. But before she could try and break me down with words, Edward placed his hand on her stomach to stop her from moving closer to me.

"Jessica…" Edward said, low with a warning tone. Jessica stepped back towards him and smiled at me, with confusion in her eyes.

"You say bitch like it's a bad thing", one of her eyebrows rose as she shook her head as though not understanding. I turned my head to the side and scoffed at her stupidity. When I looked back Edward rolled his eyes, crossed his arms and looked in the opposite direction. He obviously thought she was an idiot as well.

"You know I'd call you an idiot, but that would be an insult to all the stupid people." I waited a second for her to retaliate, but it seemed to take her a while to get what I had said. Jessica's face was blank but Edwards had his hand over his mouth and his shoulders were shaking with laughter. At least someone got it.

I rolled my eyes at her, making it obvious and pointing at my temple before pointing it at the sky as a, 'you are completely brainless' signal. Jessica's mouth opened in shock and pointed to her self in disbelief. _What an idiot._ I turned on my heal and headed right back to class feeling proud of myself…Although it isn't a big achievement out-smarting Jessica, Lauren or Rosalie.

I walked into my English room with a smile on my face. Emmett and Angela were already in their seats and were talking animatedly. I sat my things down and they both turned to me.

"By your smile I'm guessing you had a good weekend." Emmett said to me, while hanging over the back of his chair so he could look at us.

"…Actually I had a crap weekend, and yourselves?" I asked wanting to get off the topic. I didn't want to accidentally get in a bad mood again.

"Why, what happened?" Trusty Angela asked concerned. That was the one problem, she always wanted to help.

"Well…It couldn't have been that bad." Emmett prodded. I decided to just see it as humorous as any one else would.

"Well it was actually really exciting! I went food shopping! Wow!" I said sarcastically as Edward came and sat in his seat next to Emmett.

"And I got in a big fight with this old lady over the last can of spaghetti!" I continued in the same sarcastic voice. "And well let's just say it ended with her throwing a fit and chucking the can on the floor so it had a huge dent in it. Then a sales guy finally came over to see what the ruckus was about and went to get some more spaghetti from the back. Then when he handed us both a can, we both _of course,_ spotted the cash register with no line…" I stopped for effect and shook my head. "And that's when the race started…That grandma could run, plus I don't think it was fair anyway, I was tripping over boxes while she hobbled over to the cash register...I beat her there but…do you know what?" I looked from Angela to Emmett as they shook there heads.

"False teeth are going to scare me for the rest of my life." I shuddered at the memory of when the lady pulled out her teeth in front of me. It made me step back quickly.

(**A/N: my grandmother actually has pulled out her false teeth in front of little kids to scare them, me included in the little kids, lol)**

I looked around at my friend's faces but all I saw was smiles and distant looks in their eyes. They were probably imaging the scene for them selves, in slow motion running towards the check put, pushing past boxes. And then the teeth!

I looked away towards the front of the room, feeling a lot better than I have the past week.

Alice and I walked into the cafeteria line together at lunch. Rosalie, Jessica and Lauren were sitting at their table alone for once. Then again we were one of the first people in the lunch room.

After paying for our things we walked around all the wooden tables and unfortunately passed by their table. We were just by the end of the table, followed by Jessica's glare, when Rosalie's voice made us stop.

"Sexy seventeen, Bella. Where'd you get it? The 'want to be' shop?" Rosalie remarked with a fake, intimidating smile. Alice answered before I could even get a word out.

"Emmett gave it to her for her birthday. I bet you wish he had given it to you now, don't you?" Alice tilted her head to the side, speculative. After Rosalie didn't come back with an answer, Alice smiled a triumphant smile and pulled me along to the table. When we sat down I looked to Alice with a questioning gaze.

"What was that all about?" She shrugged and took a bite out of her sandwich.

"She likes Emmett." She said with her mouth full. My eyes widened and I waited for her to elaborate. "Have you seen the way she looks at him? All…lust full." She shivered with the last bit as though it was some old hag crushing on Emmett. Which to us it probably was.

I smiled and got tucked into my lunch. And through out lunch couldn't help but stealing glances between Rosalie and Emmett. And was surprised when I caught him looking in that direction as well.

**  
**When the time came to go to class after lunch, I started my walk slow but as I got closer I walked faster and straightened up, prepared to show no weakness like I did last week.

When I walked in Edward was already sitting obediently in his seat, not by the window. I have trained him well. I couldn't help but laugh mentally at this. He no longer argued over where he sat.

When I sat down I got out my book s and began drawing on the cover of my text book…again. Truth was I have done this every lesson just so I don't look at him.

The teacher's voice got my attention as he walked around the class handing out equipment. "Class we are doing our first lab today, so don't screw it up, because I have lots of book work we can do instead." Mr Banner warned.

I stayed silent as we worked, he often asked to check on my answers but I decided no comments should be made. I didn't want to get upset again so I was being cautious with everything I did. I would have let Edward right the answers down; his writing was actually neat…unlike mine. But I didn't want to talk and say the answer so each time I snatched the paper away from him and tried to write as neat as I could, even though it took me twice as long.

I passed the sheet back and waited for him to look in the microscope and right down his answer. I had already changed the slide and was looking at it through the microscope I reached out for the paper but what I had grabbed onto gave me a shock. It was like an electric current ran from my hand and spread out across my body making everything more alert and alive.

I yanked my hand away and looked up to Edward's eyes to see if he had felt it as well. But he was looking at his hand instead of at me. "I'm sorry" I mumbled and he silently pushed the paper my way.

I frowned as I carried on with the work; not talking was hurting more than I thought. 

Edward and I were the first ones finished our work so I had nothing better to do than look around the room. It was actually funny to watch as people were stressing and trying to hide books under their tables, or trying to throw papers across the class room to get answers.

"So…How long are we going to continue not talking?" Edward asked out of no where. I sat up straight and turned in my seat so I was looking straight at him. I decided to play dumb.

"I didn't know we ever talked."

"Well…yeah, you more yelled things at me." Edward said thoughtfully as he looked above my head, remembering the good old days when there were no feelings other than disgust.

"Yeah, well that wouldn't have happened if you didn't have your hand on some random girls upper thigh. It's disgusting…I mean what do you get out of it?" I questioned, but then Edward smiled this smile that immediately made me regret asking that question. "Scratch that last question."

"Why are you two talking?" Mr Banner asked from his seat at his desk, too lazy to get up and see for himself.

"We're finished the sheet sir." Edward answered for us. Sir nodded and pointed to a small table next to him where the boxes of equipment was from.

"Pack up everything and sit quietly." He ordered being the lazy teacher he was. I got up at the same time as Edward and we collected the slides together. I put them in the box and reached out for the microscope. But just as my hand was about to touch the handle Edwards was holding mine.

The same electric current went rushing through my hand, but this time I could pull back and try and shake the feeling off. He was still holding my hand and went I brought my eyes up he was staring at mine, as though right through them. My breath hitched and he slowly let go, not breaking eye contact. I was stuck staring into his bright green eyes, until I noticed the microscope and box if slides he was holding.

"Let me take them." He offered. I nodded helplessly; I would have actually thought he was being a gentleman until he added. "You'll probably trip and break everything."

My stare turned into a glare as he turned around to put the things away. I pulled a face at his back and looked around saw the pair behind us staring. I shook my head with an intimidating look to stop them staring, it did. They looked down going red from being caught.

I huffed and sank back down into my seat and crossed my arms. I glared at the blackboard wishing this class would be over. Edward sat back down and looked at me with an innocent expression as though he had done nothing. My glaring turned to him.

"What?" He asked cautiously. His hand began to reach up to his hair and tried to hold back the smile that was forming, he was so vain. But I held by composure and tried to stare him down until he got it.

"Sorry for insulting you." He finally came out with it. But i decided to give him attitude, especially since he actually seemed sincere. It would be so much easier to hate him if he wasn't trying to be nice to me.

"Save it" was my simple reply as I turned back to the front.

"…Even though what I said was actually the truest thing I've said in my life about you." he added but I tried to ignore it. I packed away my pencil case and book and Justas I finished the bell went. I jumped out of my seat and headed out the door happily towards…gym.

When I was changed I found Emmett sitting on the bleachers. I sat down next to him and watched as Coach Clapp brought out a bundle of skipping ropes. This wasn't going to be good.

When everyone was out of the changing rooms and the coach had everyone sitting down, he started explaining what we were going to do.

"Okay! Each lesson you are going to learn new tricks to do with a skipping rope. And at the end of each lesson you will have some free time to work on a routine that you _will_ be getting marked on. Now come and grab a rope that fits your height."

I ended up with one of the shortest ropes and I made sure to go stand away from every one else, knowing that I was probably going to hurt someone.

And amazingly it wasn't me who hurt someone. When it came to the part where we had time to make a routine, Mike who was in the centre of the gym, started mucking around drawing attention to him self. Coach was in the office that was connected to the gym.

"Who wants to play cowboys?" Mike yelled over everybody. He started swinging his rope around in the air like a lasso and walking around. It got a few laughs, but not many, he just looked like an idiot.

I rolled my eyes and looked at Emmett who had a mischievous glint in his eyes. He looked at me and put his finger to his lips, telling me to be quiet. He walked casually up to where like was swing around his rope in the air. He picked up one of the discarded ropes on the floor and threw the other end to me.

It slipped through my fingers but I quickly bent down to pick it up. He nodded to where Mike was coming and I realised what he wanted to do. I nodded and followed. I bent down close to the floor and pulled the rope tight.

Mike who was only paying attention to his rope walked right into our trap. His foot got caught on the rope we were holding and went tumbling to the ground. I saw it all in slow motion, Mike's rope flying out of his hands, Mike hitting the ground with a thud and a distorted face. Coach clap, yelling.

"Class get ready to…Aghhh!"

Mike's still spinning rope rapping around the teacher's neck and shoulders and whipping his back and legs. And then the teachers distorted face as his back arched in pain. Then the Coach's face slowly turning purple, I stood up and that's when time started catching up on me.

"Who did this?" His voice boomed, reaching across the entire gymnasium and more. Everyone took a step away form Newton and pointed at him still on the floor.

"Traitors" I heard him mumble and I had to struggle to contain my laugh.

"Is this going to become an every Monday thing, boy? Lat week it's a dodge ball this week it's a skipping rope. What else are you going to hit me with?" Coach Clapp asked, well more shouted at Mike. Mike shoulders sank and he looked everywhere but at the coach.

"It wasn't my faul-" he tried but got cut off by the coach.

"What was that? I didn't quite catch that?" the coach said as he put his hand to his ear in a , 'listening out' signal.

"Nothing" Mike responded looking defeated completely.

"That's what I thought…" everyone was quiet as the coach calmed down, he was quite intimidating. "Well get back to work!"

I was glad PE was over and couldn't wait to get into my warm truck. It was raining lightly as I made my way into the parking lot. I saw Edward leaning against my truck and was shocked to see him there. It made my step falter. I finally reached my door, I was going to just ignore Edward but he was standing in front of it.

"What do you want?" I asked trying to step around him, but he kept moving with me.

"I need to talk to you."

I finally gave up and decided to hear him out. "What do want?" I repeated with a sigh.

"…I like you Bella." He said as he stared into my eyes. I was in shock as I gazed into his eyes. "I really do…but you won't give me the time of day." As he spoke he moved in closer and I felt my breath hitch and my heart beating faster. But his words reminded me of something. '_But you won't give me the time of day'._ There was a reason for that.

I snapped out of it and felt his hands on my waist and his face much to close for comfort. I jumped back, out of his grasp.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked angered that he could just use me like that. Does he have no respect for woman at all?

"I'm sorry" He put his hands up in the air in surrender.

"Do you see now why I don't give you the time of day? There are some pretty clear reasons!"

Edward looked down to the ground and thought through what I had just said, "…What- what if I changed?" I was shocked at his response, but he sounded so…vulnerable. "I really do like you Bella…and I meant what I said the other day. I do want to actually get to know you." he looked up to meet my shock filled eyes, with the most pleading look. He was so adorable.

I nodded slowly as he moved away from my truck, looking defeated.

"Okay…If you can show me that you're not the complete jerk you make your self out to be." I talked slowly as to get it through my head as well as his. Edwards face visibly brightened and he smiles a crooked grin that made my heart speed up.

"I'll show you Bella. There's more behind my pretty face." I rolled my eyes at the last part. He came forward and kissed me on the cheek in his excitement and thanks. I was surprised at that action but tried not to show it. I replaced it with anger. "Too much?" Edward guessed and I nodded, "Sorry."

Edward continued looking at me and I was starting to get uncomfortable. My cheeks were burning from when he had kissed me, and he just wouldn't quit looking at me.

"Football training…Monday after school…ring any bells." I asked trying to get him to leave so I could think everything through.

"Oh right…I forgot." He nodded as he spoke but made no move.

"Are you going to leave?" He thought this over, putting on a show of it.

"Yeah…I think I will. Bye Bella." He turned on his heal and began walking back towards school, dodging the staring people.

Once in my truck and the engine was turned on, I looked in my rear view mirror and watched a dazed smile come onto my face. My hand reached up to the place his lips were just before and couldn't help but have butterflies ramming against my stomach.

I didn't know exactly what this feeling was but it was one that was foreign to me.

**OooooOOOOooo. A plot line has been formed. REVIEW!!!**


	5. five

Sorry for the wait! its a bit shorter than usual. i hurt my index finger and its all black and blue and purple right round my finger- it looks so cool! everyone is like ewwww, but it looks so cool! it was bright blue at one stage!, and its swollen to the size of a large grape, so i was typing with one hand for a while. for those that have done it, yeah its annoying.

* * *

As I backed out the front door to get to my truck, flecks of white were flying past my face. It took me a second to figure out what it was, snow. I turned on my heal to see if my assumption was correct. Yes, yes it was.

Snow was something I despised. To others it would be a winter wonderland, to me, it's simply a hassle. Snow chains, wet socks, shovelling, slipping- more than usual, car accidents, cold, the list goes on. How many times I've gone through this list? Well- about every time it snows.

I had left the snow chains Charlie had attached to my wheels from the last snow fall, so I didn't bother getting too worried about driving my big, heavy truck, across the ice covered streets.

When I got to school, out of habit, I looked around for my friends hanging in the parking lot. But that's when something important dawned on me. Alice didn't like Edward and Edward didn't like Alice. And Alice was one of my best friends; I tell her everything and, her opinion matters. This wasn't going to work so well.

As I climbed out of the bulbous cab I spotted Edward talking with Mike near the picnic tables. I rushed over to where they were being careful to not go to fast and slip, not really caring if I was interrupting them.

As I drew nearer Edward noticed my figure speedily walking in his direction, worried faced. Ignoring my presence, Edward turned back to Mike who continued talking animatedly. My shoulders slumped in frustration as I realised that I was going to have to wait.

I started jerking my head too the side repeatedly and waving my arms around to get his attention. Edward was still looking at Mike but would repeatedly shoot glances my way. That's when I started pointing to my wrist in a 'hurry up, look at the time' signal, and mouthed 'it's important'.

After another minute Mike noticed where Edward's eyes were continuously travelling. Mikes face showed one of confusion as he turned to me. I quickly faced the other direction, holding my bag protectively over my shoulder, a look of pure innocence on my face.

I could still feel their gaze on me so I slowly turned, trying to look indifferent. And when I met Mike's eyes I raised my eyebrows in an intimidating gesture. "_What_ are you looking at Newton?" I asked fake anger in my voice.

"Nothing," he replied in a mumbled voice.

"Yeah that's what I thought. Now turn around like a good little puppy." Mikes eyebrows furrowed as he dejectedly turned away from me. A puppy was exactly what he is, following the person with the 'food' around to gain 'it'.

I decided that I wasn't going to wait around for Edward and Mike to finish talking, so I turned on my heel and walked right in between the two of them. I faced Mikes questioning, confused face and rested my hands on his shoulders and walked him away from Edward. I had a huge smile on my face as I began to talk, trying to look sweet.

"Hey Mike, do you mind if I talk to Mr Vain for a second? No? Thanks, goodbye!" I answered the question for him and turned and grabbed hold of Edwards arm, dragging him somewhere more secluded.

"What was that all about?" Edward asked as he watched Mike awkwardly walking away, every few steps looking back at us.

I was nervous now, _how_ exactly was I going to say this, and _what_ exactly was I going to say? I began wringing my hands I tried to find the right words.

"Well, umm…. You know how, umm –you, you said that-"

I didn't get to finish as I heard the voice I least likely wanted to hear right now. "Bella?" it was Alice. I turned and watched her cautiously come over here. "What are you doing talking to the man whore?" Alice's little voice said as she came to stand beside me in a defensive posture, facing Edward.

I opened my mouth to say something but was cut off by Edward, who immediately retaliated to the name, 'man whore'.

"Oh and this coming from trailer trash." He crossed his arms over his chest and I saw Alice's rage heating to boiling point.

"Hey! Just go back to Mike, Masen." I kept my voice and composure hard, but my eyes were pleading with him to understand the sudden change in my attitude towards him- although he really shouldn't have said that to Alice.

He seemed to get the picture and began to walk off. "That's right! Walk away, keep walking."

"Yeah, just like your father does every time he can't face facts." Alice added after him. I saw him stop momentarily before moving on. I felt bad that Alice had said that to him, what he said to her was one thing but that was just…harsh in its own way.

"That was harsh Alice." I told her as I walked towards my first class.

"What? After what he said to me, you're defending him? What's up with you lately?" Alice asked in an irritated voice as she rushed to get to my side. I just shook my head and slugged my way to my class room. "Bella! Talk to me, please."

I stopped and turned my head sharply in her direction. "Look I don't know what it is okay. I…just what you said was harsh."

"Oh and 'trailer trash' isn't?" Alice scoffed. I shifted from side to side trying to figure out the twisted thoughts that were my mind. "What I said about him was true Bella, more than you know."

I retorted quickly now getting an idea on how to change the topic a bit. "That's the thing though Alice. Both of you are telling me things and I don't understand _why_. You hate each other and you make that clear to me and each other, but why? I can't take sides or even think through who is _in_ the right if I don't know what's going on." I reasoned. It was the truth though at least.

"Bella, please just-"she breathed heavily as she stared down at the ground so I only saw the top of her head.

"Alice! If you want me to understand and just drop the subject the pleas-" I began but I was cut off my Alice's angry voice as she pulled down her walls and let me in, whether on purpose or not.

"He's just like his father because his dad walked out my mum; just like he does with every one else he gets close to." Alice said in a rush as she stared up at the sky, her jaw was tense and her eyes wide with anger.

I stood stock still, waiting for what she said to fully sink in. "Oh," I couldn't think of a better word to say and I new that I had to something more to comfort her. She had just poured one of her family's darkest secret. "I'm sorry I forced it out of you, I didn't know."

Alice scoffed and shook her head still glaring at the sky. "Well now you know, are you happy?" She replied in a harsh tone as she finally looked me in the eye. I began to repeat my apology but she cut me off. "Now you know why he called me trailer trash, he thinks my mum was a slut, funny how he seems to be repeating my mother's ap_parent_ job." I could see tears brim across the bottom of her eyes as her eyes began to glisten.

I grabbed her around the shoulders and held her tightly. "I'm so sorry Alice. I shouldn't have made you tell me that if you didn't want to." Se lightly hugged me back and then moved away, shrugging light-heartedly attempting a smile, which came out more of a grimace.

"I think its better you know anyway, that's one weight off my shoulders anyhow. I think you should know anyway, I see it in his eyes Bella." She linked arms with me and walked me over to a small bench under the shelter of one of the portable buildings. I was confused by what she said.

"What in who's eyes?"

She began stamping on the snow beneath our feet as she talked. "In Edward's…want…pure and utter want. He wants you so bad Bella and…I don't know how much of mine and his conversation you heard last week, but…I don't want the same type of thing happening to you as it did to my mum."

I nodded taking her warning to heart, but still not really knowing the details. Edwards birthday was in June –everybody new it, the infamous yearly Masen party with the only message on it 'Everybody's invited!' I never went of course- and Alice was in September (**don't know when her birthday was) **and they are both 17…which meant Elizabeth Masen was already pregnant when Alice was conceived.

"So what exactly happened? I still don't really understand what you mean about the same thing happening to me as it did for your mother."

"Well I only know what my mother told me so…"

"Just go on anyway." I shrugged with a smile, she returned it and looked out at snow covered ground, there was only five minutes left until class began.

"Apparently 'Edward senior' had been my mothers lawyer when she was divorcing my dad- not real dad, you get it. And you know how rich men are, they cheat on their wives and that's what he did- what they did. Elisabeth Masen was already pregnant with Edward and his-my dad new that, but he still went and did what he did. My mum got pregnant, told him, and because it would give him a bad reputation, pushed her out of his life completely…along with me." She took a deep breath, and I sifted through all the information she had just given me.

"Edward knows about it- I don't know about the wife. But that's why he hates me so much. He blames it on my mum not his- our dad that I was even bored. Edward hates that his dad still cheated when he already had a son on the way. He has to learn to face the facts, it's his fathers fault not my mothers. She was left with nothing after her divorce cleared."

I took a deep breath and sighed a 'wow'. Who knew there was such a scandal in forks once upon a time?

"And you know what? I wouldn't even hate Edward so much if he wasn't such a play boy, he is just his father waiting to happen all over again, being with someone and then leaving them with nothing but painful reminders," she gestured to herself and I was about to object that she was more to her mother than that, but she continued. "At least in Edward's case all the girls are that delusional they think they're lucky to have 5 minutes with him."

I nodded and then noticed the time, "We have about 30 seconds to get to class, so…I'll talk to you later?" She nodded and I quickly got up and walked away. Alice didn't move at first and when I turned back round I saw her walking into the room we were sitting outside of.

"Bum hole Alice, you dragged me outside of _your_ room so _you_ wouldn't be late and I would." Alice smiled from around the door frame; I huffed and started waking towards my English room.

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Biology

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I had been thinking over what I was going to do about Edward, considering now the information I had received this morning.

Edward really wasn't at fault; I can understand his resent towards Alice. He's upset that his half-sister was conceived while his mother was already pregnant with him. Who wouldn't be upset by that? His father had forgotten about his wife and un-born son to mess around with another woman, and it got him a sister. A sister that was born and messed up his family is probably how he sees's it.

Edward then walked smoothly into the room, hands in his jean pockets and whistling care-free as the teacher glared at his back for _almost_ being late…again. At the site of him, I felt something inside me perk up, something that had never been felt towards him before, sympathy. I know I can't take out Alice's problem on him, its not his fault, but there is still the play boy, egotistical jerk that lives and strives in Edward.

Edward sat down in his chair and slouched back with his arms crossed. "Hi, about this morning…" Edward turned his eyes to me, surprised. Probably expecting an apology which is something I would never have done for him.

_Thinks he's a know it all does he?_

"Well you know how Alice and You hate each other? She's my best friend and I didn't really think that whole…compromise yesterday would work out, and I didn't want Alice to know so…you get the point." I realised that I had began to ramble in my search for ways to _not_ apologise directly.

"_Didn't _think it would work out? So you had a change of heart since this morning?" Edward said with a smug expression. Oh how I hated that expression on him, its one of the things that gets me so…ugh!

"I-I…I don't know. Don't push it okay?" I stuttered as I turned to the front. I flicked my hair over my right shoulder to hide my face. I had unconsciously said 'didn't'. Does that mean that I was still giving him his chance?

He wanted to change, he was _willing_ to change. But he's rich like his father, like Phil, the kind I didn't trust, and just today given more reason not to trust that type.

But there was something…Something in the way that his eyes could look as dark as the ocean, to as bright as spring grass in seconds. Something that stood before anything else he has done, the fact that he was going to try and change to get to know me. Even the smallest action has the biggest effect sometimes and that's exactly what has happened.

I tore out a piece of paper and wrote down,

**If you are still willing to change then, ****maybe**

**We can work something out.**

**I still don't trust you.**

**But I don't want anybody to know about it.**

**So that means NO bragging, and that would be one thing **

**down on your check list of changes.**

I flicked the paper to his side of the desk still not looking at him and hiding my face. After a minute of listening to pen on paper, the paper was back on my side of the lab table.

I peeked up at the teacher and found him still writing notes on the board we were to copy down. I looked back down at the paper and looked at the scrawl underneath my own.

_That's great then!_

_I don't see why it's so bad being seen with me though,_

_But I will respect your wishes._

_How about…this weekend is our first game, how about you_

_come watch me and then we'll go do something?_

_And then you will realise that I'm being serious about this._

_Oh and please don't hide your face, there is nothing else_

_worth staring at in this classroom._

_So how about it?_

Towards the end of the note I began blushing, even though it was kind of cheesy. He wasn't supposed to affect me like that! I mean, how many other girls has he probably used that line on?

I folded the A4 sheet and started writing my reply.

**You know what's funny? 'I don't see why it's so bad being **

**seen with me though'. ****One****: that is so vain that I want to puke.**

**Two****: if you say that you are implying that I should just not **

**care what others think, so therefore, YOU ARE A HYPOCRIT.**

**Have you seen yourself lately? You put on this play boy act **

**Everyday and I KNOW there is more to you than that. **

**And as long as NO ONE see's me leaving with you, I will go **

**with you.**

**And really, corny much? How many girls have you said that **

**to in your life?**

My eyes flicked back up to where the teacher was still writing, but on and extra board that was on wheels. I had a lot of catching up to do. while I waited for my reply I speedily wrote down the information. Sooner than I expected Edwards hand slowly pushed the note in front of me.

My hair was still covering my face so as he brought his hand back he brushed my hair over my shoulder. I felt tingles run through my shoulder, but I had to remain how I was. I turned my head sharply in his direction and whispered, "Touching is prohibited".

He just smiled and bent over his exercise book, copying from the board. I frowned at this and turned my attention to the short note in front of me.

_Okay! We'll organise it all later!_

_And in all honestly, girls never try to shy _

_away from me so I've never had to use that_

_line, and girls usually want to be seen _talking

_to me, so I've never wrote notes_

_Wow! I'm so inexperienced! Jokes ._

I took the last note as a clue that the conversation was over. I folded the note and put it aside, making sure not to put it somewhere- as in I'm going to keep it, as in I'm just trying to move it out of the way…although I do plan on keeping it to look back on, I just didn't want to give Edward and ego kick.

I still hadn't moved my hair back over my shoulder and I could sometimes feel Edward staring intently at me, but I decided to just try and ignore it for now.

**Okay, so we have information, a **_**little**_** bit of fluff, a date type thing, and a plot progressing. How exciting!!!**

**Leave a comment. If you have any ideas tell me, I might use them or build on them, who knows?**

Sorry if there are any spelling mistakes!

Do not own twilight or any recognisable twilight characters.


	6. six

**PICTURES ON PROFILE!!! Whoa…long chapter! Be happy and REVIEW!**

**Do not own twilight, Stephanie Meyer does…I'm jealous. **

So the plan was to walk or catch a ride with someone to the game on Saturday, watch the game, go wait somewhere for Edward to pick me up in the 'apple of his eye' car, and then go somewhere. Yeah I know, not very well planned, but I'm not good at this stuff and Edward was just trying to make it suit me better.

The only problem was…what do you wear to a football game/date/trying not to look like you're trying to impress anyone…?

But was that what I want to do? Impress Mr I'm-so-hot? The answer would be yes, of course I would want to look good for a date, even if I have no idea where we are going. So it would be….casual but nice. _This is so hard with out Alice._

The game was starting at 12 and I was catching a ride with Charlie. Since Forks was such a small town, pretty much everyone turns up to watch. I go very seldom, I don't understand the game at all; I usually just go for Emmett.

There was only half an hour until the game was starting and I was still standing in front of the mirror with nothing but my pyjama shorts and a shirt that I was trying on. My face was crumpled in disgust. I hate trying clothes on to go somewhere!

"Bella! Are you ready yet, I want to get there early!" Charlie yelled from the bottom of the stairs. Ever since mum left the only thing that really gets him worked up is sports. It's the thing he watched on TV all the time, the thing he rushes around to get to.

"Not yet dad, I'm finding something to wear." I called from around the door frame. I heard Charlie sigh heavily and his retreating foot steps. I ran back over to my already messed up draws and pushed more things out of the way.

And you know what I have learned; people always have more tops than they do bottoms. And out of these many tops one has to go with a bottom. So I decided to switch draws to look for pants and then decide what to adorn with it.

I pulled out pairs of jeans after pairs of jeans. It's really all you could wear here because of the cold and the rain. I was getting angrier and angrier with every pair that came out that I didn't like. _Why is this so hard?_

I finally pulled out a pair of blue, form hugging jeans, that I would usually be a little iffy about. _Why not, change is sometimes a good thing. _I quickly pulled them up my thin legs and began rummaging through the shirt draws again.

"Bella, are almost ready now?" Charlie's called yet again. I looked down at my self and called back my no. "Then when are you going to be ready? You never care about what you wear, what's the change?" Charlie reasoned, trying to get me to get a move on.

"Alright Dad, I'll be done in 5 minutes tops." I sighed, _stuff it_, I thought. I closed my eyes and dipped my hand into my messy draw and after a second of rummaging, closed my fingers around something. What ever came out I was wearing, even if it doesn't match.

When I opened my eyes I had a white off the shoulder tee. I shrugged, it could be worse; I had a t-shirt somewhere in there saying 'Chuck E. Cheese' with that goofy looking mouse on it as a joke gift from Alice. Who knows, I could have ended up wearing that.

I pulled the shirt over my head, and looked in the mirror. It was suitable enough, I ran a brush through my hair one more time, ran out of the room, door slamming on my way out. I halted at the stairs that my rushing those wouldn't be good for anyone.

When I got at the bottom Charlie straight away ushered me out the door. As soon as the door closed I had to turn back around and rush in and get my shoes, it wouldn't be good to forget them, embarrassment as well as dirty feet. Not good.

I had to sit down to pull my shoes on and I could hear Charlie hooting the horn of the cruiser. I struggled to get up and then pulled the door shut behind me as I headed towards the car that was waiting out on the road. As soon as my seat belt was on Charlie made his way to the school.

The parking lot was filled with cars and even along the surrounding roads, cars were parked. These games were probably the only time you would see this much people together in forks.

I followed my dad through the maze of cars until we got to stands. Charlie began making small talk with some of the other residents of Forks. I just stood awkwardly at his side looking around for people I could sit with.

By the time Charlie had finished his conversation I had found Alice and her mum sitting half way up in the stands. I pointed them out and the spare two seats next to the. Charlie nodded and started walking up the stairs, with me at his tail.

When Charlie sat down next to Alice's mum, they immediately started chatting animatedly just like old friends. I always thought that since they were both single and close that maybe they could be more than friends, Alice and I could end up sisters. But nothing ever came of my idea.

"You look very nice Bella." Alice said in a voice filled with implications of, 'who are you trying to impress?' I know lying about Edward is going to come back around and bite me on the ass, but for now I couldn't let her know.

"I got behind on the washing, so I had no choice for…" I lied as I gestured to my clothing. Alice seemed to buy it and nodded with a smile on her face.

"Well, you should get behind on the washing more often, you look great! Aren't you glad I talked you into getting that shirt? You know Avril Lavigne wore one just like it." Alice rambled on although I wasn't really paying all that much attention.

I was scanning over the players that were running out of the changing rooms as the announcer called, "And now cheer for our very own SPARTANS!" I spotted Edward in the centre and Emmett at the front, probably to look intimidating on behalf of the team.

I clapped half-heartedly as the rest of the crowed cheered. I wasn't much into cheering, especially over sport. Alice was up on her feet shouting, "GO EMMETT!" I smiled at how much she got into the forks team spirit.

I stood up blending in with the crowd since I was the only one sitting. I looked down at where the team was standing around there coach that was barking orders for warm ups. Edward's unusual bronze hair stood out around the group and I soon found him breaking away from his team members.

_Oh my…_Edward started walking around the front of the stands where his team entered. He had his arms spread wide and was gesturing with his fingers to start cheering. The cheerleaders caught the drift first and followed Rosalie's lead in jumping up and down, cheering, 'Edward!'

Soon the crowd followed even the guys who expected his as football captain to lead them to victory. Well, all I could really say was, he knew how to get a crowd started…and loved the attention. I followed where he went with my eyes and soon found a girl I had _never_ seen before at school, screaming at the top of her lungs for Edward. She had her arms spread open and from the angle I was at saw what was written on her shirt, 'love you long time'.

I don't get it, I have never even seen this person in forks before and she's practically declaring her love for him in the middle of the crowd. I felt an emotion I had rarely felt before, jealousy maybe. I wasn't sure but it was some form of anger towards the girl. But it soon faded as I saw Edward flinch a bit when he noticed her in the crowed and start coming back my way. He caught my eye and winked before running back to his team, where I could swear he was getting yelled at for showing off by his coach. _Serves him right anyway…the dang show off with his pretty face._

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The game had finally finished, I hadn't really been able to follow the game as well as others, and it was only due to the score board that I knew we had won the game. Alice's voice had gone hoarse with all her screaming.

No wonder my dad likes her so much, she's a big fan of sports in his eyes, when really she just had a lot of spirit that lets loose.

I began following the rest of the row to the stairs, Alice right behind me. "Do you want to do something later on Bella?" Alice asked as we descended the stairs. I paused for a moment to think up an excuse. I _am_ going to tell her, eventually. I just need to make her understand first.

"No thanks Alice, I have a lot of stuff to do." I nodded my head, although didn't turn to look at her, knowing she's read something in my eyes that she didn't need to know at the moment.

"Oh, okay. Call me later alright." I nodded, knowing at least _that _I could do. Alice grabbed hold of her mum's upper arm and began pulling her away. I now could understand more why they always leave early at matches. A certain Masen family is always there, making an appearance, giving Edward a clap on the back, making the two Brandon's feel incredibly uncomfortable and angry. I sighed, _was high school ever going to be so _not_ full of drama_.

Once they had left I stood dutifully at my dads side as he did his rounds of catching up. I put in my share of hellos, how are your children, he did what now's?

I saw Emmett talking to his parents only a few yards away. I tapped Charlie on the shoulder to get his attention. When he looked I told him, "I'm just going to talk to Emmett for a bit, okay?" while pointing in his direction. Charlie nodded and went straight back into his conversation with Harry Clearwater.

I walked over to where Emmett was, just in time to hear him get told to go shower before getting home. I tapped on the shoulder and he turned, shocked. I smiled at this.

"Hey! You were great out there." I wasn't sure at what he was great at, but when I was watching him out there he seemed like he was doing fine.

Emmett smiled an embarrassed smile and said his thanks. He started talking about the things his coach said he needed to improve on, but I kept getting the feeling someone was watching me. I looked to my right and saw the cheer squad huddled up in a group getting photos taken to go on the school website.

When one shot was done Rosalie looked over at Emmett with a hungry look in her eyes, biting her lip. Her gaze met mine as a glare and I raised and eyebrow, then looked back up at Emmett. Alice was definitely right about the lust filled eyes she sent his way.

When I looked back at Rosalie with an amused expression on my face she gave me a short intimidating, hate filled smirk, before turning back to the camera posing with pouting lips.

_Guess I'm not the only one attracting opposites…_

Emmett was still going on about how he needs to improve his passing or something but I cut him short by putting up my hand like a stop sign. I put a cheeky smile on my face and sang, "Guess who's crushing on Emmett" as I did this I moved my shoulders with each syllable I sang.

Emmett looked confused as he asked, "Who?"

I indicated with my index finger for him to bend down more, as if it was a secret. "The queen Bee of the mindless want to be's, enemy to those who don't get sucked into the world of 'I wanna be pop-u-lar'."

Emmett's eyes widened and he turned his head slightly in Rosalie's direction. I looked also and watched as Rosalie sent him a flirtatious smile. We turned back to each other; his eyes were nervous but had a sort of longing in them. Oh my…Emmett's got a crush.

Emmett cleared his throat and I could see a faint pink on his cheeks, confirming my theories. "Emmett! Your in the team, you should come get in the photo. We need to show others what a big strong team we have here at forks." Rosalie called pushing Lauren aside to make room for Emmett. I tried not to laugh at Laurens face for being pushed away for Emmett, loosing her left hand spot next to Rose.

"Should I go fort it…?" Emmett asked for my permission. It was kind of stupid now that I'm in the situation where your friend likes one of the 'enemies'. Of course, he didn't need my permission; what ever makes him happy is what he should do. If you let friends control your life they aren't very good friends. Which happens to be what the rest of the school does when it comes to down to who's popular and who isn't. People will do what ever to be accepted.

"Emmett…Do what ever _you_ want to do." Emmett smiled and I added after him, "But I still think she is the bitch of the century." He smiled a small smile and seemed to contemplate something.

"Funnily enough I think the same thing, but maybe I can change that, huh?" he turned and walked over to wear the cheerleaders were. Even thought I had doubt in my mind about Rosalie changing, I wasn't one to talk, and it's what I'm expecting from Edward.

_Speaking of mister high and mighty, where is he_?

I looked around and underneath the stands I spotted Edward in the shadows staring at me. When our eyes met he lifted his car keys and sat them on one of the stairs that was about eye-level with him self. He pointed in the direction if one of the side streets of or school. I nodded, understanding he wanted me to wait for him in the car.

I looked back over to Charlie to see him heading over here. "That was a great game, wasn't it bells?" Charlie asked, using the name 'bells' in reference to me only when he's in a good mood. "Ready to go home now?" he gestured to the path that led to the parking lot. I shook my head.

"Actually dad I was just wondering whether I could go celebrate the win with some friends." I said anxiously, hope in my voice.

"Oh, yeah sure, what time will you be back?"

…I don't know…

"Um, six thirty-ish? I said more as a question. He nodded his okay before saying bye and heading the parking lot. Another parent may have asked who I would be with. But not Charlie, again, I'm not sure if the freedom he has given me since that day 10 years ago is always a good thing.

I sighed and made my way up the stairs to pick up the keys, just as it started misting. The rain would probably starting pounding down soon, at least it hadn't while the game was on. I speed walked to Edward shiny car and un-locked it.

I didn't know what exactly I would find in Edwards car. No bras or other bits of skimpy lingerie left behind from the girls he's with. I thought perhaps it would be messier, not so clean and well looked after. But as I looked in the back seat there wasn't a thing out of place and in the front everything was neat and tidy, from the light grey leather seats to the dash board with not a spec of dust that I could see.

My eyes flickered to the glove box…maybe that was where the dirty little secrets were kept. I reached out in front of me and pulled the handle. Inside were stacks of CDs shoved roughly into the compartment, to get them to fit. I pulled out a stack and skimmed over the titles. I was a little shocked that the majority was more towards the rock persuasion, something his image didn't give out, but then again neither did mine.

I think the more I get to know Edward the more I break out if the habit of judging people, not that that is a bad thing. It's not a good thing to do, judging people I mean.

I looked around the car once more, it felt…comfortable.

I jumped when out of know where I heard a click and then the sound of the rubber being pulled away from rubber. I looked to my right to find Edward getting into the drivers side seat. After a moment of him getting settled he turned to look at my still wide eyes- it was so quiet, he gave me a fright. "You gave me a fright." I explained.

He looked down at my hands where his CDs were still on my lap. When he looked back at me his eye brows were raised. "Find anything interesting?" he asked with a smirk. There was no anger so I smiled and looked back down at the cases.

"I admit, I was a bit surprised." I put the stack back in and pulled out the next.

Edward started up the car and began fiddling with controls. He turned the heater up and then reached across me to push the little fan on the passenger side so that it was actually facing me, as before it was facing him.

"I don't have anyone to bring to school but myself, so I might as well suck up all the heat right?" Edward explained after seeing my questioning look. I nodded and pulled my seat belt on.

"So what are you surprised about?" Edward asked getting back on topic, glancing in my direction.

"Well, your style of music for one. It's not the most…I don't know a word, it just doesn't seem to fit with some one of your character." I tried to explain what I meant but I wasn't sure whether the picture got across.

"Ah, but Bella, do you really know my character?" Edward retorted with a grin.

"I guess your going to show me" I sighed.

"You want to listen to something? You can pick." Edward offered randomly after a minute of disturbing silence.

After saying my okay, I went through the last pile. When I got to the second last case my hand froze over one of familiar CD covers. It was a Debussy CD, one of the many melodies I had come accustomed to when I was younger. But I hadn't heard it since Renée left with all her belongings.

Hearing the noises from the cases sliding over one another Edward leaned over to see what I had found. "You want to listen that?" He asked; no distaste what so ever at what I had stopped at.

"Yeah…I haven't heard it since…she left." I murmured. When he stopped at a red light I gave him the CD and he slid it into its slot. Soon the familiar melody washed over me and I relaxed. It made me feel like I had when I was young, when there was no broken family and no _feelings_ to hold together.

"Do you mean your mum?" Edward asked in a soft voice. I nodded, hoping he didn't press the matter, but he kept quiet as the music continued to lull in the background.

There's something about being alone in a car with someone that makes you feel as though you are the only people in world. That's how I felt now, it's as though nothing at the moment mattered, and even if it did, it could wait till later. I was comfortable here, in this car, with Edward's company. I decided that just for once in a long time, I'll just stop worrying about everything and everyone else and just do what ever. I deserved that.

I looked out the window and realised where we were headed, port angeles. "So what are we doing exactly?" I questioned, breaking the silence.

"Well…you'll just have to see. But I have to ask before we go any further." I made a face at the fact he's not going to tell me, but nodded for him to continue. His eyes followed the length of my leg and I was starting to be very self conscious. "do you feel in the mood for running?" he asked finally, he's lucky, if had stared any longer he would have got a fistful.

I looked down at them and decided, "I couldn't run properly if I was in my pyjamas Edward, but we'll see." He smiled crookedly and sped up a little.

"So what did you think of the game?" Edward asked about 10 minutes into the drive.

"Well it all seemed great, I saw that kick you made that made the ball go through the post things." Oh yeah, I sounded like I knew what I was doing…not.

"The field goal, you mean?" he asked, I just smiled and shrugged. "I guess you're not much of a football fan."

"Well…I just don't think it's all that much important like the rest of the school does." I reasoned, trying to figure out the workings of my mind myself.

"Yeah, I'm not much of a fan of the game either." Edward admitted with a glance my way. I was shocked speechless; _he_ didn't like it…but then why did he?

"But you play it, your captain, how can you not like it?"

"Honestly, I'd prefer something faster, in football you're always getting stopped short. Plus, it's _the_ sport, not track or anything else." Edward looked thoughtful as he drove. "Everyone just expects it of you."

I nodded, almost understanding. A new level of Edward had just been let open and I was surprised at how…deep his feelings really were.

"I kind of understand that. It sucks, having everyone expect you to be like everyone else. I don't get why everyone tries so hard to be popular or to just act like others do because they are 'cool'. In the end, it's the people that don't try to follow people that stand out, they're stupid."

"So that's why you do it. To stand out or to try and get people to realise how stupid they are by getting at the ring leaders of it all?" Edward asked, probably trying to unravel the knot that is my mind.

I laughed lightly, "The latter, but seriously you're lucky you are at the top of the ladder, if you hear the stuff that people say when you're at the end…annoying." I made a face thinking of all the things people gossip about, and the reasons people think being popular is so cool. "You happen to be one of the main attractions at Forks high by the way, but I think you already knew that."

"Ah, so what do they say about Edward Masen?" He questioned as we came to another light. He leaned on the steering wheel and looked at me. I sat up straight in my chair and puffed my chest out a bit. I looked towards the ceiling of the car. I put my left hand on my chest and began with my full body imitation.

"Edward Masen is freaking machine!" I said in a breathless voice and then began hand fanning my face with my left hand. I dropped my arms and looked at Edward who now had his eyebrows raised in amusement. He smiled at me as he shook his head; I smiled a small smile back before turning back to the road ahead.

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Were finally in Port Angeles and were going down a road I didn't recognise. Down farther ahead I could see an outline of some sort of arc, but couldn't read the sign attached.

As we got closer I realised what the sign said, 'Paint Ball!' in big yellow writing. I gasped and turned to Edward who was shooting me glances, "Paint ball?" I asked incredulously. This was _not_ what I had expected…and yet I couldn't keep the astonished smile off of my face.

"Yeah, well I figured we should do something fun, not the typical dinner and a movie, with me trying to make a move on you." I nodded dazedly as I looked at the passing obstacle like things that were splattered with paint already.

"Doesn't paint ball hurt?" I wondered out loud.

"This one is just paint-filled balloons and they hurt less than the guns, so you should be alright. I'll go easy on you." Edward smiled cheekily and I raised an eyebrow, hearing the challenge he set, even if he didn't realise it.

We soon had on rain coat like full body suits that covered everything but our heads. The area we were playing on I think was farm themed. It was like a barn except had no ceiling, with bales of hay and tall wood animals that we could use to hide behind. There was a metre and an half cartoon scarecrow just off the centre of the room as well.

There were stray balloons filled with paint over the floor as well as some in buckets in different sections of the area. I stood next to the scarecrow and waited for Edward to explain everything to me.

"Okay, well, it's basically like a water bomb fight, but because paint is thicker and heavier it hurts a bit more" Edward explained as he paced sp his back was to me. "So I'll go easy on you. You know what I'll even let you get m-"

I didn't let him finish his sentence. I bent down to the ground and picked up two red balloons. While his back was still to me I pegged one of the balls as hard as I could at his back. Red paint was splattered against the back of his clear suit type thing. I kept the other balloon behind my back just in case.

That cut him short for sure, and I smiled, happy with myself. He turned slowly with an incredulous expression. "You did not just cheat paint balling." I put my hand to my chest and tried to look hurt.

"Me, cheat, I don't know who you've been talking to, but I don't cheat." I smirked, letting him full well know I was lying. He just huffed with a smile in his face, I saw him glance down at his feet and then back at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes. When I looked at his feet I saw a small balloon at his feet.

He smiles evilly and bent down to pick it up, but I still had the other balloon in my hands. I threw it quickly at him bent to the ground, before he could get me. He looked up from his place in the ground as bright green paint dripped from the top of his head.

I started to laugh but when I saw the look he was giving me, I tried to stifle it but only made it sound even worse. He stood up slowly and I did take notice that he brought the balloon up with him. Edward had his mouth slowly open and his eyes were contemplating.

"Did you just throw paint at me when I was off guard, that's low Bella." Edward said as he took a step forward. I stepped back at the same time, but bumped into the scarecrow. I moved to my left so I wasn't hitting the scarecrow, but at a second glance at it, I decided to play stupid with Edward.

"I don't know what you're talking about Edward. I didn't throw anything at you." I held up my hands in a surrender signal.

"Well I don't see anyone else here Bella." Edward said in a sing-song voice, stepping forward yet again. This time I didn't move but gestured to the scarecrow with a big wide smile.

"It must have been this one here," I shook my head at the scarecrow and sighed, "must have had bad parents, kicking people when they're down," I looked at Edward to see him looking very bemused, I tutted at the scarecrow and when I looked back Edward was about to throw the balloon.

I jumped behind the scarecrow just in time and saw the balloon splat all over the wall that I was a mere half a metre from.

I stood up, eyes wide, and peeked over the scarecrows bright smiling face. Edward wasn't smiling though; he seemed ticked that he'd missed. He began to get another balloon so I ducked back down and tried to crawl to a big wooden cow as a bigger paint blocker.

One of the buckets was there so I stocked up, trying to hold three in one hand and two in the other. _Why couldn't these suits have pockets?_

I peeked underneath the cow's big belly but didn't see any feet, I could hear creaking from somewhere so just decided to move carefully. I lay down on my stomach, underneath the cow and tried to see where that boy was. I heard the creaking noise again but realised it was coming from straight above me.

I slid out from underneath and when I stood up found Edward sitting on the wooden cows back. I was surprised to find him there but more alarmed when I saw the balloons in his hands. Edward smiled evilly as he clapped his hands together while holding the thin balloons, over my head.

A second after I became aware of the thick grimy red and blue paint sliding down my face and over my hair. I reached up to feel all the paint soaking into my hair, that was going to be a pain in the butt later.

I wiped my eyes, putting on a show to let him know, he was going to get it. I wiped my hands on the plastic like material; glaring at him and his crooked smile-even though this was actually enjoyable.

I bent down to pick up the balloons I left on the ground, but when I jerked upright Edward was a yard away trying to get away. I threw one after him, not aiming at all, just throwing all my small weight into it. It hit his foot hardly making any impact on his run away. I threw again and this time it hit the back of his head, making him almost trip with the shock of it.

I began laughing my head off; he turned around as I was pointing at him, the look on his face was priceless, a mix of shock, amusement, embarrassment- for the score board in my head says, the _girl_ is winning.

"Who needs to go easy on whom, now?" I asked placing my hands on my hips.

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When we had finished up it was about four-ish. We went inside and I pulled off our suit things and gave them back to the guy that owns the place. I said I wanted to try and clean up a bit before I left, so Edward agreed to meet me out at the car. I went into the bathroom and tried to wash most of the paint off my face, but trying to rub to hard so that my face doesn't go bright red. Trying to wash my hair out wouldn't be very good either; it'd just end up making Edwards car wet as well as me.

I left the bathroom with a sigh- at least Edward wouldn't look all that much better than me. I met Edward outside by the car, both of our hair was matted with paint. When I approached I pulled the hair in my pony tail around in front of my and pulled my hair apart. My hair was all dried stuck together in clumps of red, green, yellow, blue, white, as well as the brown of my hair.

"Look we're multi-coloured." I pulled a bit of his hair and then continuing to look at my own.

"Yep, like tropical fish." Edward added picking up a bright blue strand. I smiled at what he compared us too. "Are you hungry? I don't have that much on me but we could get something small." Edward offered walking round to the passenger side to open my door.

I smiled as a thankyou and when Edward hopped in next to me just answered with a, "I don't mind what we do. I think I would actually prefer you not having lots of money on you, I don't want to end up in some restaurant."

Edward blinked a couple of times and the let out a deep breath. Was he angry with me or something? "What is it?" I voiced my concern.

"I just would never have expected that from a girl, usually they expect you to take them to a fancy restaurant or something, basically a cliché date."

I laughed once and looked out the windscreen. "Well I'm not usually one for following the unwritten laws, am I?"

"No, no you're not," Edward agreed. "But that's what's great about you." He added with a smile. I blushed a bit and my shoulders hunched, at his words feeling self-conscious. I looked out my window, pressing my lips together; I didn't want to stay on this subject to long.

"So, there's a McDonalds somewhere around here, right?" I asked glancing at him from the corner of my eyes. He swayed a little and then nodded, starting up the engine.

"Macca's it is." He agreed and started off back towards town.

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When we had gotten our small order we headed for the bay that the board walk of Port Angeles followed. Edward and I sat on small bench that had a perfect overview of the suns last final rays falling behind the see, the clouds varying shades of pinks, oranges and purples, and the water a soft red tone reflecting the light.

It was beautiful.

We sat watching the sun set in a peaceful silence, both tired from today's exercise. I couldn't imagine how Edward was feeling, he had had a game as well as a paintball match, he must be exhausted.

I looked over to my right to look at him only to find him staring at me. I blushed but was unable to turn away. It was as if we had both been suspended into a strange timeless moment. I felt like I was falling into Edwards gaze, but strangely did not want to get out as I had at other times. I saw everything we had done today, every feeling, as though I was watching it from Edwards dim green eyes, in this light.

I felt the lightness I had felt when I was in the car, playing paint ball, sitting on this bay watching the sunset…it all felt so natural, so…right.

But what was I _thinking_? This was like a test run- our date was in complete private, what would he be like under the influence of friends? Would he still talk to me the way he did, act so natural around me the way he did. Would _I _act like that around him again in the public eye?

I broke our connection by blinking, and looking away. I picked up the barbeque sauce and one of the chicken McNuggets we had bought, and dipped it in, trying to get distracted form the well of emotions inside me.

"Pass me the sauce for a second?" Edward asked quietly. I began to pass it to him, with my head down but so I could see his hand coming to take it from me. When his hand was right there I turned my back on him so he couldn't reach it.

"No, I'm still using it." I talked lightly, teasing him.

"Please Bella." Edward sighed, yeah he was tired now.

"Its my sauce, if you ate yours, tough" I said holding the small tub close to me, he tried reaching around me to get it, but I just shook him off. So that started the tickle fest. Edward was pinching at my sides, making me jump involuntarily.

I jumped off the seat and out of his arms, face flushed read from laughing. Edward stood up after me and I realised he was going to chase me for it. O-oh…

I ran, well tried to run as much as I could in the sand without loosing the thing we were fighting for: barbeque sauce.

I tried zigzagging around but he was no-doubt getting closer and closer. I soon felt my self being lifted into the air from behind and swung around. I screamed and laughed as I moved through the air as the last tiny bit of the sun vanished, leaving the sky a light grey colour and the sand and dark dull grey. Edward fell back onto the sand with me landing roughly on top of him. My eyes met his once again and I felt the same tug of feeling drown me, not being able to think coherently about what was happening.

Before I knew it Edwards mouth was on mine and I was kissing him just as much he was me. It felt like a fire went off inside of me, filled with passion and longing, maybe more, but I was new at this, I don't know what the emotions could be.

But I was pretty sure I'd be willing do that again to find out.

**Okay this was EXTRA long… 14 PAGES! …Be proud…Be happy…return a favour? D**

**So review! Please! If you have any suggestions on how the story could progress tell me, I love hearing new ideas, I wouldn't have this chapter if it wasn't for **xXBiteMeXx

**Oh um…I didn't write what Edward was wearing but it's in my profile if you want to see…**

**So review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	7. seven

_**Thanks guys for all the support and reviews! Much appreciated- and the ideas! I have got some plans a head…muahahahaha **_As I'm sure you know and understand, school is a 'bee'-'eye'-'tea'-'see'-'eightch'. (if you understand that, congrats!) lucky for me…I have 3 more weeks of school! Yay, but then only 2 weeks holidays and then a 10 week term and then summer holidays which _if_ Sydney schools are nice will make it a 6 week holiday instead of 5---I'm still angry about that from the last summer holidays!

_**RECAP:**_

'_Before I knew it Edward's mouth was on mine and I was kissing him just as much he was me. It felt like a fire went off inside of me, filled with passion and longing, maybe more, but I was new at this, I don't know what the emotions could be._

_But I was pretty sure I'd be willing do that again to find out.'_

After that last thought my mind caught up with me, what was I thinking? I was supposed to hate him and be strong and not give into his trap. This isn't how it was supposed to be…but the feeling in my stomach- the pulling at my insides, the fluttering like I'm going to be sick but only manages to put a smile on my face- told me otherwise. Maybe _supposed_ to be was different to what's _meant _to be.

But either way, it was too quick, first date to quick. No matter how … unbelievably … amazing this was, I had built up walls over the past ten years and I wasn't letting them get broken so easy. I was stubborn- so what? He has to earn the privilege to get me. I am not going to go weak at the knees every time I see him.

I opened my eyes and pushed against Edward's chest, breaking away from him. When his eyes caught mine he smiled and his hand brushed my cheek. I immediately blushed and a shy, embarrassed smile formed on my face in return.

That's when I realized…I just experienced my first kiss…and to Edward Masen- the annoyingly gorgeous, charming, comely, fair, fine, exquisite, handsome, lovely, pretty, brilliant, dazzling, grand, superb Edward Masen. _Oh yeah, the English Thesaurus has noth'n on me._

What is one to do in a situation like this?—I may not have wanted that kiss to happen but…still, what do I do?---What do you do after you have kissed someone new…or at all…? Act cool, like 'oh yeah, I knew exactly what I was doing, done it a million times before!'

Well that's what I was going to do anyway, _no weaknesses remember._

A nervous embarrassed laugh slipped through my closed mouth. Oh crap! _Way to go Bella! You work that dorky laugh. It's a _great_ way to show your experience- yeah experience with working with _HYENAS! I thought sarcastically to myself. Mental clapping noises sounded in my head. _Round of applause people for Bella and her not-so-smoothness._

I looked down mortified with myself. I let my self fall off of him so that I was on my side lying horizontal and looked out into the tinted grey water, all the while the blood in my face still boiling.

_Were people supposed to turn into complete losers after a first kiss?_

In the movies it's all smiles and lollipops, fireworks and fountains go off in the back ground, but me…I cackle like a…giggling gitt! _Ugh…someone shoot me now…_

_(A/N: Okay, I wanted her first experience to be embarrassing and weird for her, more real -un fairy tale like—not that I would really know…me equals no first kiss yet -trust issues-)_

Edward moved closure to me again and his hand rested on my side and dragged me closer. Well he didn't seem to think my giddiness was odd…_butt-holes been with so many girls he's probably used to it._ I was shocked at the pang that went through my body as I thought that last thought. But it also reminded me why I had pulled away before.

Just as Edward was about to touch his lips to mine I sat up quickly. "Edward?" I asked, kind of flustered. He sat up as well and looked confused and a hurt. Why was this so…hard refusing him?

I looked away from him and ran my hand though my hair, frustrated. I looked back at Edwards greying eyes in the light with my hand still on my head. I didn't know what to say…I was torn, in more ways than one.

"What's the matter?" Edward asked worriedly. "Did I do something?" I was shocked at this, he thought…wasn't it usually the girl that asked that? My stereo-typicalness controlling my thoughts again…Note to self: get out of that habit of prejudice.

"No! I mean yes, actually no, no!" I struggled to find the answer to a simple question. Was it normal to become incoherent in these times? Edward just looked at me perplexed. "No" I sighed finally.

"You're going to say 'It's me, not you' next, right?" Edward teased, trying to lighten the mood. But beneath it all, I could see the disappointment, the hurt of rejection, and it hurt me just as much.

"I could…but I won't. That…kiss," I struggled to get the word out, and when I finally did I could fell my face burn again. "Can't happen again- not anytime soon anyway."

I felt my stomach clench as I saw Edwards face drop and then comprehending. He nodded slowly and looked genuinely disappointed. I was about to say sorry or something until Edward turned to me sharply with a pout on his face.

"But why?" Edward dragged out the words like a whiny child. A small giggle erupted from me and I grinned widely at the adorable face he was making.

"Come on, this was like…a practise date. I really shouldn't kiss you on a first date let alone a _practise._ Plus, you haven't completely convinced me you've changed." I told him matter-of-factly.

"Hey! I've changed! See these clothes I'm wearing?" Edward gestured to his white t-shirt and khaki green coloured knit jumper and pulled at the leg of his pants. "I wasn't wearing these earlier, so I've changed. So…In _your_ face!" Edward added with fake attitude and cheekiness in his voice.

I gave him a look that said, 'Are you done?' And then shook my head with a smile on my face. _He is so cute sometimes…Hold up…What di-_

"We better be getting back." Edward's voice broke into my thoughts. I put on a fake hurt expression and said,

"You're really dying to get rid of me? It's hardly dark at all." Edward looked at me and shook his head as I had before, with a smile.

"No, I don't want to get rid of you…its just," His face went blank and he stared just past my shoulder. "Your dad is chief of police and he scares me." He continued, rushed, with the blank face on.

I smiled thinking he was joking but when I looked again his face was still completely serious. After a moments silence I started laughing. I held my sides to make it seem even more humiliating, as the thought of Edward- Edward Masen being _scared_ of anyone. I mean this is Mr high and mighty, Mr confident, Mr don't have a care in the world, and he's scared of getting me home late in case my dad throws a fit. Who _would have thought?_

"You can't be serious? Charlie is like…I don't know. He's just harmless out side of the uniform. Then again he doesn't really do _anything_ outside of his job." I grimaced at the thought of how Charlie has been since Renée left all those years ago.

Edward nodded, looking out at the bay. He stayed silent but every now and then I saw him peak at me from the corner of his eyes with a devious smile. I had a feeling he was going to try and kiss me again when he thought I was off-guard. _Not a chance buddy…_

I leaned back on my right hand and pushed my self up out of the sand. Edward gazed up at me, questioning.

"Come on Masen, we really should get going anyway." I took a step around Edwards sitting figure and smiled to myself. There are other ways to get at Edward.

Edward caught up with me within three seconds and put his arm around my waist. I was startled at first, but then my muscles loosened themselves in his arm. And then again, my brain caught up with my involuntary reaction.

"Damn," I muttered as I grabbed Edwards hand and pushed it away from me. "Stop it Edward." I told him in a hard voice, although I hardly felt any back bone behind my words.

Edward held up his hands in surrender and took a step back with a smirk on his lips. I stared at him for a second longer than necessary before continuing to walk. There was silence but I had a very strong feeling I was about to hear something from his mouth.

"You _know_ you want me Bella." Edward said in what I suspected to be a seductive voice. I knew it was him only teasing but it was always these comments that got me angry with him. So part of me was a little offended.

I stopped mid-step at the front of Edward's car now. I turned to Edward, mouth half open in an offended looking way, with eyebrows raised. I scoffed openly and came right up close to Edward and stopped on the tips of my toes so I was just bellow his head.

"You and I both know that _you _want _me_ _bad_." I whispered in the same tone as Edward had, stretching out the word 'bad' for effect. Edward was stock still just staring at me a little dazed. I shoved him a little so his feet didn't move but his body moved, and then added sarcastically, "So I wouldn't be talking if I were you," Before walking to the passenger side of the door and getting in.

I felt proud of myself that I had snubbed Edward at his own game. He stepped into the car a second later and turned to me. "You're evil, you know that?" Edward complained shortly.

I smirked at him before turning to the windshield as he started the car. "It's what I do best."

------  ------

It was just going on six by the time we turned into my street. I was starting to get jitters in my stomach, and my throat felt as though it was contracting.

It's that feeling you often see or read in books where the guy walks the girl to the front step of her house, you know they are going to kiss, but you still can't help feel nervous. I knew that at the end of this- even if it is a practise – date I would end up giving over something, it was clichéd, but I wanted, couldn't help but feel obliged to hold up to this cliché.

The car pulled into the driveway and I made no move to get out, and Edward didn't show any impatience to want me _to_ get out. This quietness didn't exactly feel awkward; it was almost comfortable in the silence, only with each others company.

"Bella, I just wanted to say," I looked at him as he took a deep breath, "Thankyou, for giving me a chance today. I know how you feel about me- you've made it more than clear, so I really appreciate today." Edward thanked me softly. I was more than surprised, and all I could do was nod dumbly.

This was so weird. My feelings about Edward had changed so quickly. I had hated Edward with a passion, all that he stood for, and now…Now he seemed so compelling and attractive- although I could never deny that of him, and so in tune with me at times that it scared me. What was that about? The question was, had he changed just now or had this amazing side of Edward been buried deep all along, under the pressures of high school.

"Yeah well, I did have a good time today. More than I would have thought, so thank _you_." Edward smiled a little before turning back to the front of my house. I followed his gaze and saw a blue flashing light outlining the window to the lounge room. Charlie was obviously watching TV in the dark- again. How many times did I have to tell him it was bad for his eyes?

Edward's quiet and surprisingly vulnerable voice broke through my thoughts. "I would kiss you good-bye but," I frowned at his words, "I don't want to get on your-" before he could finish his sentence I leaned over and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

He turned his head to look at me wide eyed. _Gees it's like he's never been kissed before_, I thought sarcastically, looking at his surprised but happy face.

I smirked, "Bye" I whispered, before Edward could say a word _or _make a move. I opened the car door and hoped out into the windy environment. I walked up the porch stairs and unlocked the door with the key from under the eave. I didn't hear the car start up so before I closed the door behind me, I looked out at the car.

Edward locked eyes with me and smiled before the car purred to life. I was about to smile back but Charlie called out to me. "Is that you Bella?" I turned and looked back, shouting my 'yes'. I quickly turned back out side, only to see Edwards silver Volvo speeding out of the drive way and down the street. _Cheeky little bugger…_

**XOxoXOxoXOxo**

When I arrived at school on Monday, I was worried about how Edward and I would interact with each other. Would we be jerks to one another, or would we actually have a little consideration for each other? Answer: No idea.

This was all so difficult. Just thinking about seeing Edward at school made me want to look nicer, be a little better looking to meet his standard, who wouldn't? But another part of me wanted to hold strong and not let him in at all. This was my defiant, troubled side. Although it was part of me- the bit that made me who I am today…I really would just like some time to be relaxed and have no major internal dilemmas.

The part of me that has existed for ten years one over my newly founded…girly-ness. Is that what you would call this new feeling? Anyway, it lost. I ended up in plain Jane old clothing that you'd see me in any other day. Jeans, shirt, jacket, what ever.

I walked into my English class room and my eyes immediately went to the seat in front of mine that belonged to Edward. He was there staring intently in my direction and I tried desperately not to blush at his gaze.

I didn't know what to do, so I used the tried and true tactic: indifference…or was that supposed to be avoidance? Either one really added up to, 'Don't pay attention to him!'

I pressed my lips together and averted my gaze downward as I walked to my seat. I almost congratulated myself for not having looked up as I reached about half way down the isle, but as soon as I was but a metre away, I looked!

I know I'm a weakling! I could imagine that lady from the show 'The Weakest Link' kicking me off the game with the words, 'you are the weakest Link, good-bye'

It was a trap. As soon as Edward smiled at me, I _had_ to smile back, even a small bit. It was like…a magnetic reaction, an involuntary reaction- I wasn't using my brain at all.

I sat down beside Angela and realised my mistake. I know I was just being over dramatic but still… a smile from me to him, him to me, was such a drastic change of events that people are bound to notice and then everyone will be talking, and Alice will find out and ugh! A whole lot of ugh!

"Stupid person, and stupid smiling, weakling, dummy, and ug-" I started mumbling to myself angrily out loud. I didn't even realise I was doing it until a tap on my shoulder snapped me out of it.

"Are you okay Bella? Done mumbling?" Angela gave me a sympathetic look. She obviously cared about why my hands were in the shape of me choking someone.

"Oh yeah, she's fine. Bella just got one look at me and she started having a spasm attack." Edward answered for me while turning around in his seat. "All in a days work." Edward added after turning completely around with his arms folded over the top of his chair.

"Oh yeah, and I wonder weather you say at the end of your days work, 'Chaos, panic, & disorder - my work here is done.'" I retorted after a pause. So Edward had chosen to keep quiet. For my sake?

Edward smirked and then looked between Angela and I. Finally as Edward locked eyes with me for a moment, he smiled a crooked yet beautiful grin and turned back to the front –defeated but still amazingly with a smile on his face.

I stared at the back of his head for a moment longer before turning to Angela. She stared at me for a second before ripping a page out of her book and writing a note hurriedly. A few seconds later she slid it in front of me with an expectant expression.

I read the one sentence note carefully again as I thought about what it could mean.

_Talk about chemistry…_

I grimaced, I had a feeling she wasn't talking about the science, but about a certain somebody in front of me. Can someone say, 'O-oh'?

_I don't take chemistry._

I wrote back, playing stupid. I watched as Angela sighed and looked at me exasperated. "You know what I mean Bella. You two have a connection…as weird as that may be, its completely obvious." Angela spoke softly so I could only hear her.

I wasn't sure I really wanted her to know, she was one of my best friends, but so was Alice. I don't think I could really tell one and not the other. Having thought this I replied in a normal voice, "Any connection between his reality and mine is completely coincidental."

Angela sighed once again, but this time in defeat. She knew as well as anyone how stubborn I was. There was no winning this argument.

**XOxoXOxoXOxo**

Alice caught up with me as I entered the cafeteria. "Hey Bella Bella, dressed in yella." Alice greeted in a sing song voice. Her rhyme taken off the skipping game, 'Cinderella, dressed in yella, went upstairs to kiss her fella, by mistake she kissed a snake, how many doctors did it take, 1, 2, 3, 4…'

"Blue actually, not yellow, but you were close!" I replied as I followed into the lunch line, pulling on the sleeve of my navy coloured jacket.

As Alice and I walked to our usual table my eyes were drawn to the centre table, the 'popular' table. Rosalie was surrounded on either side by Lauren and Jessica as usual, and also by some of the usual wanna-be's.

Rosalie saw us coming in her direction to get to our table. She made a disgusted sound in the back of her throat towards us. "Good lord Alice. I've been meaning to ask you, where did you get your hair-cut, the zoo? I mean seriously, short hair is just so…out." Rosalie made all her words sound as biting as possible. Fortunately Alice and I had learned to dish it back just as much. "…No offence" She added with a fake sweet smile as if it made her seem nice even though she knew we didn't buy it.

Alice smiled in the same way back. "I'm not offended by what you say. I'm just glad that you're stringing words into sentences now." Alice paused as she watched the insult sunk into Ms Stick up butt, and then said, "Bye" with a wide smile. I smirked at the three girls before turning also to follow to the table.

"Oh and looks like Bella's gone back to the old days, patching up her clothing to hide the holes that," Lauren said behind me. It took me a second to realise she was talking about my jacket which had patches on the elbows. Little did she know it was actually how the jacket was made. ", Make up her pathetic life."

The last part of her words struck a cord. What the hell did she know about my 'pathetic life'? Who was she to comment about my 'pathetic life'? I turned and glared at Lauren, Jessica had her hand over her mouth, hiding her smile while Rosalie openly smirked.

"Oh and how exactly would you know anything about my so called 'pathetic life'?"

Lauren scoffed at me as though it were obvious. "Because we, like, run the school, we know _everything_." As she said this, the only thing that I could think of was, _up your self much?_

"Did the aliens forget to remove your anal probe?" I exclaimed, flabbergasted. "Gosh, you guys seriously have to remove the stick from you're a-"

"Is everything okay here?" An unmistakable, cautious voice interrupted me. I looked to my side to see Edward flanked by Mike and jasper. It had been Edward to speak and he was looking between me and the three be-yotches.

Jessica perked up immediately and began twirling her hair. I began to feel a tremendous anger towards her for doing this at the sight of Edward in front of me. "Hey Edward! You played amazing on Saturday." She said a bit too loud.

Lauren also smiled hugely and added in her nasal sounding voice, "Hi Edward…how was your weekend? Yeah, you were great on Saturday. But then again, you always are."

I felt the need to roll my eyes at her words, but all I could manage to do was glare and anxiously watch for Edward's reactions to her words. I guess it was a test for him to prove to me that he is going to be at least a tiny bit faithful. Edward merely raised his eyebrows with a hint of a smile. But it was one of those smiles where the person looks slightly freaked.

Cue: Mental laughter at Lauren.

Edward sent me a look and Lauren seemed to pick up on it. "She was just leaving. Everything's fine now."

"Excuse me, but, 'She' has a name. And thanks, I've always wanted an announcer." I smiled fake smile at them before turning away to leave. But before I did, I smiled at Edward slightly before leaving for real.

As I got nearer to my table Jessica called over, obviously not like having one of the evil trio not having the last word. "Yeah you just walk away! Too chicken to stay here and stand up for yourself!"

I would have to laugh about this later, she was so dumb! I turned and walked backwards slowly, knowing I would trip otherwise. "Jessica, what have I been doing the past few minutes? Standing up for myself, duh! I mean, are you always this stupid or are you just making a special effort today?" I heard several laughs from different sections of the cafeteria.

Of course I always tended to cause a scene when I got all defensive with people, but it was worth it when the 'populars' get humiliated. It actually shows people that they are _real_ people, _with_ flaws.

**XOxoXOxoXOxo**

Towards the end of lunch I had been peeking out of the corner of my eye to see when Edward would leave for biology, so we could be in the class room at the same time. I don't know why, but the whole secret thing was strangely exciting. It filled me with a feeling of something to look forward to, a task that I had never done before.

He didn't seem to be getting ready to leave or anything, but when I looked back again, he was watching me. _Was he waiting for me? Or was he ditching?_

Either way, it was a suitable time to get to class. I said my good-byes to Angela and Alice at the cafeteria doors and went my separate way. It was only a minute of my slow walking until Edward came up behind me and scared the living day lights out of me.

I yelped loudly, and jumped about a foot in the air as Edward came up behind me silently and pinched my sides. As soon as I gained my composure my gaze fixed upon Edwards smiling face at my displeasure. I slapped his fore arm angrily. "Idiot"

He just grinned wider at my childish name-calling. I tried not to stick my tongue out at him so I turned around and walked back down the crowded corridor. "Aw, come on Bella; don't be angry with me today." Edward said as he kept pace easily. It was as though the students actually cleared a path for him.

"I wouldn't get angry at you today… It's "Be kind to Animals" week." I told him sarcastically while looking ahead. I turned to see his reaction but he just had a smirk on his face, he lifted his arms as if to hug me, but I took a step back and lifted one hand like a stop sign, "Did I mention the kick in the groin you'll be receiving if you touch me?"

That stopped him cold for a second, "That's what I thought." It took all I had to stop myself from laughing at his face, as if I would really do that after Saturday. We walked into our biology room and sat down at our seats.

"I think the lunch crowd like your little show." Edward commented after a little while.

"Who said it was show? If anything _you_ were the one putting on the show. I was being completely normal." I responded.

"Oh yeah, except for the fact that, hmm…You didn't take a shot at me when I was there. Has that ever happened before?" Edward asked sarcastically. I rolled my eyes at him, yes he was right but still, no need to rub it in my face like he was. "You stirred up quite a lot of trouble at lunch you know that? The girls were having a nice little bitch about you."

I smiled at my work, getting them all worked up was just…all in a days work- just like Edward said earlier. "Yep well, we have something in common, its all in a days work."

Edward chuckled lightly, "Yeah, but I think you would be more suited to say 'Chaos, panic, & disorder - my work here is done.' Your words manage to get every one in a bunch."

"Ha, and yours don't, just in a different way?" I was referring to the fact that everything he says gets usually both the girls and the guys worked up. The fact is, Edward Masen is the big news on campus. It always either revolves around him or Rosalie.

Edward shook his head no. "You do underestimate yourself Bella, I've heard both Mike _and_ Tyler speaking of you in a…" I gave Edward a look, daring him to day exactly what those two perves, that no doubt including himself say about me. "…un-appropriate way." Edward shut up after that. Even though what he was saying was a little…violating, I couldn't help but feel flattered…

Class passed uneventfully, in between the times Edward and I were working, we were writing down jokes and stuff. At one stage we were almost competing over who could come up with the most rhyming jokes. I was lucky; I had played this with Alice and Emmett plenty of times to be remembering some. For example: When they were giving out brains, you thought they said grains, and you said "Make mine oatmeal"

Which then got one back from Edward saying: When they were giving out looks, you thought they said books, and you said "Give me something funny"

That's how the whole lesson passed, and I actually felt really happy being so care free and in tune with somebody like this. Of course, the things we talked about were just normal things that you talk about with friends, but it was some how different. There was an underlying pull that just made your heart throb with every single word that came from _his_ mouth or every time you lock eyes with _him_. The whole world doesn't matter when you have this feeling because the only thing that can actually hold your attention, body and mind is _him_. And that was something I wanted every now and then, an escape, where I could escape the dilemmas.

The bell rang, but I didn't rush to pack my things up. The teacher was one of the first out of the classroom; I knew his next period was free so he always ran out of the class room so he could get out of this hell hole just like the students.

I folded up my sheets very slowly and slowly put my books in my bag. I put each individual pen back in my pencil case one at a time. When I was done there were only one other person in the room Edward and one just moving out the door.

I stood up and Edward was watching me, contemplating. I waited for him to say something but he didn't, he moved closer to me and brushed his fingertips over my fore-arm. I felt a trembling sensation start from his fingertips and move to the pit of my stomach. There was that tugging at my insides again.

I could feel my breathing become shallower and I tried with all my might to keep my head. I dragged my eyes away from where his hand was raising goose bumps on my arm, to his eyes. They flared slightly as our gazes locked onto one another's. My arms slowly encircled Edward as our lips met slowly, forgetting all else for one blissful moment.

A second later we both jumped back in surprise as the warning bell rang. Edward groaned but went to pull me back. I stopped him, blushing at what had just happened…again. Was this never going to _not _be embarrassing?

"We have to get to class Edward." I told him trying to move around him to the door.

"Skip it," He told me simply. I shook my head with a small grin, I had never skipped class, and I wasn't going to start now.

"Good-bye Edward…and that never happened." I turned and walked out the door, rushing to get to the gym. I was lucky, its about the only class we can get away with being late as we have time to get changed before actually seeing the teacher.

**XOxoXOxoXOxo**

Gym had gone by in what seemed like a minute. It's a good thing my mind was somewhere else, it just made gym class go bye rapidly, with me hardly hearing or seeing anything, yet still knowing what to do.

I walked out into the car park, my mind still not in its rightful place. I drew nearer to my old truck, and began shoveling into my pocket to get the keys out. I put the end of the key to the lock when, "Bella?" A male voice called to me. One I wasn't as familiar with.

I turned confused as to why he was calling me. His tall, lean frame and blond hair walked towards me quickly. "Um, Bella? Can you help me out?"

_Why in the world would Jasper Whitlock need my help?_

_XoXoXoXo_

Who likes **Harry Potters Daniel Radcliffe**? Zac Efron? Nikki Blonsky? (hairspray)…go to my profile page and right at the bottom is these links to this Australian show 'ROVE LIVE'. It's the BEST anyway, I put their interviews. Its SOOOO FUNNY!

**SAMPLE**: **Rove-to Daniel: Who would you turn gay for? **(yeah, you should watch it—ON PROFILE—you'll be surprised at his answer!!)

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ANYWAY! 12 PAGES PEOPLE! Be proud! I am…sorta. Anyway, tell me what you think. Bella is very…confused and un-knowing as you can tell. She doesn't know how to feel,** if** she should feel. And she has a trust thing with rich guys, her mum as an example, she thinks they are home wreckers really, but she has this unbelievable feeling towards him that evolved so fast she doesn't know what to think.

Well Review! And thanks to all those that added this story to there favs, alerts and fav authors and such. It means a lot. It makes me smile!

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**DISCLAIMER: **None of the characters, locations etc expressed above are actually mine. They are told to me by Luther and Ferdinand (who get there info from S. Meyer), the five inch tall space aliens who live under my desk. In return for these ideas, I have given them permission to eat any dust bunnies they may find under there.

I'm just gonna keep talking…APEC was on, on Friday! And all the world leaders were here in Sydney Australia. So…WE GOT FRIDAY OFF SCHOOL! and I bummed around with my friend, went to the park, it was raining and we baught hot chips (fries what ever) from this Lebanese shop and the guys gave us lollipops. THERE SO NICE! and…hahaha. There was this protest thingy against apec or sumthin, where all these people were mooning people (flashing their butts at them) and on the news it goes that it's the biggest number of people to do that. And I just cracked up laughing! How weird is that? As a protest?!! Goodness.

Anyways…WATCH THE THINGY ON PROFILE! Rove is the best…I swear I love his show—so funny!!!

Anyway, until next time…GOODNIGHT!...or what ever time of day it is, here its good night. 10.30 pm and yeah..i'll shut up now.


	8. eight

_Do not own twilight…_

_**Important CLUE:**_When you love someone you can tell...when you're _in_ love with someone, every one else can. _**Think about it with a certain part of this chapter.**_

_**Recap: **_I turned confused as to why he was calling me. His tall, lean frame and blond hair walked towards me quickly. "Um, Bella? Can you help me out?"

_Why in the world would Jasper Whitlock need my help?_

I could feel the surprise on my face and as I replied with my biting come back; I was unable to get rid of the face of shocked blankness. "Sure I'd love to help you out, now, which way did you come in?"

"No, come on Bella, I seriously need you to help me." Jasper stared at me with a slight smirk on his face, and there was definitely a persuasive glint in his eyes. I guess I got what Alice meant by how he is always managing to get out of things…the way he looked and spoke when he wanted something just made you want to do whatever he said. I really didn't want that.

I turned back to the truck door and pushed the key into the lock to open it. The key wouldn't open it so I stood there struggling to jiggle the key the right way to get the door open, all the while Jasper was continuously asking me for his help. This was really getting on my nerves. I jiggled the key even more, so that my whole arm was shaking; every now and then taking annoyed glances at jasper babbling in the back ground. "Right now I'm already imagining the duck tape around you mouth" I interrupted, absentmindedly. He stopped yapping for a second before rolling his eyes and continuing.

"Bella, seriously this is s importa-"

_Stupid key and truck, not being reliable enough to get me away from a person equivalent to a donkey._

I sighed heavily, giving up on shaking the hell out of the key. Jasper was still pleading with me and I rolled my eyes as I turned to him. I didn't want to even hear what he had to say so I interrupted- again, "So…Alice tells me you're a lady killer…they take one look at you and they die of shock." I smiled a fake smile at him.

Jasper scoffed at my words and smiled hugely. He put his hands on hips, pushing his jacket back in the process while looking in the distance, rocking back and forth on his heels. I got the impression he was trying to show off his muscular chest. I felt the corner of my lips turn down slightly in disgust of his actions. Alice was right…this guy was a 'devil' in disguise.

"Well…I do seem to startle the ladies with my handsome good looks sometimes." Jasper said matter-of-factly.

I paused staring contemplatively at Jasper before answering, "A-ha" If he was going to be up himself then I wasn't even going to bother with him at all. The plan is: ignoring.

I turned back to the truck door and jiggled the key more softly than last time, hoping that if the key had feelings and I was nice to it, it would be nice to me and open the door lock.

I heard jasper groan and from the corner of my eye saw him pull at his hair slightly. "Okay, listen I need to talk to you about Alice." At the mention of Alice's name and the tone of voice he used when he said it- soft and tender, that doesn't sound to good- I began roughly moving the key up and down, side to side with eyes wide. I really didn't want to get sucked into this.

"You know how there is that dance coming up soon? I really want Alice to come with me but she needs a little convincing- I know that you're the one that could do that for me." Jasper continued, watching my actions just as the lock clicked open. I yanked the door open and stepped up into my truck, desperately wanting to get away from this conversation.

"No, I'm sorry but my powers can only be used for good." I said quickly before slamming the door shut. But the glass separating Jasper and I wasn't enough, he kept up the pleading and was tapping on the window. Any more and I could almost say it was abuse. I started up the truck and the engine gurgled to life, drowning out most of jaspers voice.

He looked angry that his voice wasn't exactly reaching me and that I was enjoying his annoyance. I was smiling hugely at jaspers face. I turned the key a little more so the engine revved again and giggled a little at jaspers obvious annoyance.

He stopped for a second before opening his mouth to try to speak to me again, but I cut him off- making the engine roar again…and again…and again, every time his mouth opened.

I watched as Jasper sighed heavily and looked to the side, anger showing plainly in his eyes, before it cleared and brightened into something else. An idea…?

"I know what happened in biology!" These words did reach me, loud and clear over the engines roar- admittedly that might have had something to do with the fact the jasper yelled it at the top of his lungs.

I turned the engine off and wound the window down, staring straight ahead as I remembered what happened in the biology lab. Edward and me kissing- which was very unlike ourselves. I turned my head purposely slow to gather my thoughts.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said to Jasper turning my head to the side slightly and raising my eyebrows, as if to say: 'yeah, what did you see?' in an intimidating gesture. Although I may look like I don't care what he knew, in reality I was freaking out. _What did he know? Who will he tell? What will the consequences be? What can he DO with the information?_ And a whole lot of 'I'M SCREWED!' if he knows the truth and I cant persuade him otherwise…which I probably can't-

I can't lie at all, work around the truth yes, lie? Not so much.

Jasper scoffed and smirked at me with a look that said, '_Really?_ Come _on_' in a sarcastic way- and I hated it. "Bella- Isabella?" My eyes narrowed when he changed to Isabella and he quickly rewound. "Bella then…You just proved that you don't want anyone to know about your little…_affair_ with Edward so…what do you say?" Jasper smiled at me condescendingly.

"Again," I made my voice hard while trying to look natural. "I don't know what you're talking about." He was not going to black mail me into doing what he wants- which, oh, just happens to be setting my best friend up with someone she despises. Pros and cons please.

Jasper sighed frustrated and came closer, folding his arms over my window. "At lunch Bella, when you were arguing with the girls and Edward and I came over…I know that you two were feeling something more than disgust for each other- Plus the fact that he was sticking up for you and you didn't start on him, like you usually do." Jasper said in a soft voice as though doing that would get me to see the truth in his words. Sad thing is…he was good at getting me to feel what he wanted me to feel. I heard the truth and knew it was real. Can I get a swear word here anybody?

Jasper continued, leaning back a little. "And then there's the fact that you two were constantly looking at each other during lunch and after sixth period I walked past your class and saw you two in a lip lock. So…have I convinced you yet?"

Yes, I think I will definitely need that swear word now. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm down and get rid of that feeling of wanting to punch him hard for doing this to me. And believe me, this was that anger that feels like it has risen right up to your throat and as though you're drowning in it.

I sighed heavily and kept my eyes closed; knowing that if I looked at jasper right now I would be way to tempted to throw a punch right at his pretty face. "Okay, I'll talk to her, but I swear to the lord almighty that if you do anything to upset her, I'll-" I paused, trying to find something that I could actually use that I would be able to do. "Set Emmett on you."

Okay, that made Emmett sound like a Rottweiler but what ever, it made jasper take a step back. _Sick 'em Rex! _(From the movie 'stand by me' the guy goes 'sick balls Rex' so funny…)

I opened my eyes and saw jasper looking kind of disgusted, at me or at something else? "…I wouldn't hurt her Bella." He said slowly as though trying to make it very clear. I nodded my head doubtfully. "I may be a lot like Edward at times, but…" Jasper stopped and shook his head. "You obviously saw something in him enough to go out with him."

I laughed with out humor, "I wouldn't call it going out Jasper- I don't know what it is exactly." I sighed running a hand through my hair staring out the windshield, truly wondering.

_What were Edward and I? What did I want it to be, what did _he_ want it to be?_

"But that's it Bella, you should understand more than anyone that she could find something more in me than she thinks- you obviously have in Edward." I nodded, knowing that what he was saying was true, and shouldn't be saying it would never work since it's basically the same with Edward and I- except with out the black mailing and setting up of best friends.

"You're sounding reasonable... Time to up the medication**" **I said absentmindedly. Jasper ignored my comment that was more habit out of why I said it.

"Plus, who knows? Maybe Alice will be a little more understanding of you and Edward's relationship when the time comes to tell the world." Jasper said as he began backing away from my truck.

I was taken a back at this, _that could actually work…_ but what made him think that Edward and I were not just some _fling._

"Who says Edward and I are going to become anything that's worth people knowing about?" I called just as jasper turned to walk away. He was silent for a while before saying just loud enough so I could hear,

"You don't need ears to know something Bella, just eyes," Jasper said before leaving back towards the school. I stared after him trying to understand what he meant. I concluded that it basically meant the same thing Angela has said earlier.

_Was it really _that_ obvious?_

I shook my head in amazement before winding up the window and leaving the school.

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When I had finished all my homework for the day I made my way down to the kitchen to start on dinner. The house was quiet as felt strangely empty- it was always like this but only lately had I really felt the loneliness that came with it. As much as I hated to admit it, I think it was because I had a new company that I didn't have or know before, so when I was with out _it_, everything was shallower somehow.

_How pathetic, what's happening to me?_

I didn't know what to make so I just scrounged around the kitchen to find anything that could be made into a suitable dinner. I began mixing ingredients together, but after a minute had to stop. The dim light, the bright yellow cabinets, the view of the empty lounge room was making me feel edgy, it was too quiet.

Not quiet like some thing about to jump out at you, just too quiet that it makes you feel…annoyed. I sighed and put the whisk down that was being used to whisk eggs and walked up to my room. I picked up my CD player slash radio and brought it downstairs; hoping that maybe the entertaining radio hosts could fill up the silence.

It worked for a bit, it had me giggling a little. It started with the hosts laughing kind of cheekily and embarrassed. Turns out the hosts had gotten a witch to predict who was going to win some singing show, and the night before- the first show after the witch made her prediction of some guy 'Mark' winning, was voted off the show. They had bits from when the witch made her prediction "The winner of 2007 is going to be….Mark" and then from the actual show, "The person to leave the show tonight is…Mark Da Costa".

The hosts were talking about how instead of using good magic on Mark, she cursed him! Of course it was a little exaggerated but they are entertainers so…it's what they do.

This then led to the hosts making up a rip off this old song, changing the words to,

"_Oh, oh, oh bad magic,_

_You kno-oh-oh…_(like 'know' but dragged out)

_Better believe it's not soooo…" _

And getting people to call up and tell about there experiences with bad predictions. But after a while of this, the radio begun to just drone out into the back ground and everything felt quiet again.

I sighed, looking around the room for something to fill up the emptiness. I saw the phone on the bench and I imagined a light bulb appearing over my head with little lines around it to show the light shining, with a little 'ding' noise. _Oh yeah, I need something to occupy me apart from cooking._

I figured I might as well get a start on plan Get Alice to like jasper. _Hmm…sounds a little long. Note to self: Make a better name for my little- pshh little? - Mission thing._

I picked up the phone and dialed Alice's number, hoping that I would be able to come up with something to say on a whim- since I have no idea how to approach the subject.

_Ring ring… Ring ring... Ring ring…Ring r-_

The dial tone was replaced with a slight muffling noise before, "Hello?" Ms Brandon answered.

"Oh, Hi Ms Brandon. Is Alice there, please?" I asked politely.

"Yes dear, just hold on a minute please." I heard Alice's mum say just as nicely and then, "Alice! PHONE!" She yelled loudly. I always thought it funny that people act so formal when greeting on the phone and then all of a sudden, cue: yelling.

"I'm coming!" I heard a less loud voice but could still tell it was yelling. There was muffled scratching noises again and then a flustered sounding Alice, "Hello-hello?" She said cheerfully.

"Hey, what have you been doing?" I asked trying to act normal.

"Just reading a magazine, and guess what? I'm 40 percent blonde."

I was confused as to what she was saying. As far as I knew her hair was completely black. "How did you get that percentage?" I asked, letting my confusion color my tone.

I heard Alice sigh, "There was this 'Blonde test'- that's spelt b-l-o-n-d- in the magazine. You know the stereotypical blondes are dumb thing; anyway, I'm 40 percent blonde. But I swear that those questions are rigged, even the smartest people would get ripped off."

I laughed a bit at her rambling, but I didn't add anything to it, not even a 'ooo, quiz me.'. I was still pretty nervous about what I was going to say to her. What was jasper expecting me to do to get her to agree? I had nothing!

"Umm…hey Alice? What do you think about Jasper?" I asked randomly, trying to sound nonchalant, but I knew there was a nervous ring to my voice as I kind of rushed the words.

"Um, a-ha, okay…" She obviously was very taken aback at my sudden question. "Ja-jasper is _Jasper_." She finally spat out, sounding thoroughly confused.

"Yeah, but do you like him?" I had no idea where I was going with this but I figured that getting the facts right first was a start- See where everyone stands if you know what I mean.

"Well, n-nuh, what? His teeth are brighter than he is!" Alice snapped after having struggled to get a direct answer out. _Hmm…I think some things are coming into the light…_

"Oh…defensive." I noted out loud and I knew she could hear the smile in my voice.

"Bella," Alice sighed in a disapproving tone.

"Yeah, maybe so…but do you think that he's…good looking?" I struggled to find a word to not sound so blunt, but no matter what word came to mind it all sounded rather confronting.

"What? Bella, why are you asking this?" Alice avoided the question again and I tried not to smile- even though she couldn't see it.

"Just answer the question, please?" I begged, grinning like mad.

"Fine…I suppose he has…certain…charm, and he's easy on the eyes. But he's still an ass." She hurriedly said the last sentence and it just made it all the more obvious that she does have at least _some_ attraction to him. "Why?"

_Dang…what am I going to say?_

"Umm, well you see…Hi dad!" I said over enthusiastically. Charlie had just walked through the door and now looked kind of wary at my unexpected enthusiasm. _Saved by father dearest._

"Your dad isn't really there Bella, your just saying that so you don't have to answer my question." I laughed and passed the phone to Charlie and mouthed 'Alice'. He smiled a bit and took the phone to say hi, he always had a soft spot for Alice.

"Hi Alice, how are you today?" He said. I listened carefully to hear Alice's reaction. And soon enough there was a high pitched. 'Oh!'

After a bit I took the phone from my dad and said into the phone, "I got to go Alice, so I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Bye" After that I hung up with out waiting for an answer. I dished up Charlie and my own dinner and set it on the table.

And the silence started again.

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Alice bombarded me as soon as I pulled into the parking lot the next day. I had to put my hand up in a stop gesture, which didn't actually stop her until I waved it around in a circle- still in a stop sign. Her eyes followed my hand, distracted by it and then I clamped my hand closed, like I was speaking with a sock puppet. Alice was quiet now.

"Alice…One question at a time, please?" I knew there was no point to try and ignore her, she'd get it out of me any way, plus, if she knew that Jasper liked her and was this desperate it might soften her up a bit.

"Okay," she sighed. "Why were you asking whether I liked Jasper Whitlock?" As she got to the 'I like…' part of the sentence, I saw a faint blush on her cheeks and tried desperately not smile, she blushed! I guess when she's not angry with him, she just gets flushed. How sweet…

"Okay, I'll tell you, but you can't be angry, okay?" She nodded and I walked beside her and swung my arm around her shoulders and leading her to a bench. "Well…Jasper came to talk to me yesterday after school and he said something…so I just wanted to see how you felt about him." I hedged, trying to come at this slowly.

Alice nodded slowly and looked down, almost upset looking. _What the…? _"You like him don't you? And you wanted to know what I felt about it." Alice's voice was kind of glum and kind of angry. I was shocked…and almost disgusted.

I took a step back, my arm dropping away. "What?! No, gosh, I wanted to know what you thought of him because he likes you!" In my shock and repulsion at the thought of being with Jasper- when I had Edward – I had plainly blurted out the truth, upfront and personal. I covered my mouth quickly and watched fearfully what Alice would make of what I said.

Her head snapped up to look at me, wide eyed and unbelieving. "Wah-what did you just say?" Alice asked kind of dazedly. I dropped my hand and bit my lip before sighing and sitting down on the bench, shoulders slouching.

"Jasper wanted me to try and convince you to go to the dance with him." I told her softly, smiling a little.

"Why didn't he do it himself?" She asked, still sounding a little out of it while sitting next to me on the bench.

I scoffed, "Alice do you honestly think you would listen to him? When you see Jasper next you'll be angry straight away." Alice pressed her lips together and I saw her face gaining color as the blood rushed to her face. I smiled a little and shook my head, "And here you are, blushing at the mention of him."

Alice's cheeks flared brighter again as I mentioned her blushing, something I hated when people did it to me, but…_it's so dang fun._

Alice shook her head sadly and took a deep breath. "But he's so…annoying! I hate him…" She seemed to try and find words to finish so I added.

"But still…you can't help but like him at times. Yeah there's a lot that going around…" I said softly looking down at the ground, Edward coming to mind and the whole ordeal of getting me to give him a chance. How I hated him so passionately and yet there was something more there all along, and I can't seem to have any self control.

"What do you mean?" Alice asked, cocking her head to the side, breaking into my thoughts.

"Huh, oh nothing. Just Emmett and Rosalie seem to be getting closer." I laughed a little at the two of them. They were so open about each other and yet it still seemed so…weird. But I guess that this whole…interlacing of two completely different social groups was going to happening a lot now- if Alice and Edward accepted each other and Alice can get over the hurtle that is Jasper's reputation.

This reminds me…Note: make things better between Edward and Alice…_oh joy_, I thought sarcastically as excited clapping sounded in my head at the thought of trying to talk to Edward about the…parental issue.

"I can't say yes to him Bella." Alice broke through my thoughts and I looked at her. She was looking away back towards the parking lot where jasper was standing with Newton.

That was exactly the words I _didn't_ want to hear. "Why not?" I asked immediately, a little too quickly. "I mean, it's obvious that you are a little bit interested," I continued desperately.

Alice looked at me suspiciously. "Why does it matter so much to you? I would have thought you'd be one of the most against me showing the slightest interest. You absolutely hate everything to do what that group and now you're getting annoyed because I'm _not _associating with him. What gives?"

I sighed and thought for an appropriate answer. "Just think why we do this Alice. To show that the 'popular' are just normal people and aren't rulers of the school. And maybe if we were friends with someone like…Jasper Whitlock, people would realize that those who are at different statuses aren't worth less. Isn't _that_ worth it?"

Alice took on a contemplating look, "Honestly, that just sounds like both him and I being used- okay it's good. But I don't think I could trust him enough, not after the way he's acted for a while now. It's not something so easily over looked. And you know what? I find it very difficult to trust people like him Bella, I don't forgive easily, you know that, and you know I have good reason."

She was talking about her mother's situation I knew. She didn't forgive the player type person easily. I sighed; I should have known this was not going to be easy _at all_. "Alice? Just promise me one thing?" Alice didn't say anything so I continued. "I think that instead of doing what your brain is saying…sometimes you should follow what your heart tells you, because you never know what's on the inside of a person until you take the risk and find out."

I dipped my head down, keeping my eyes on my twiddling fingers, and waited for Alice's reply to my words- maybe the deepest I've ever said. But I knew they were true and applied in my case as well. Alice laughed kind of shakily. "When did you become the insightful one?" She asked jokingly. I smiled and met my friend's eyes.

"I'll tell you sometime." I stood up and before walking away to my first class said, "Think about what I said." Then turned and headed for English.

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Edward caught up to me in the hallway again today and we walked to our class together. We didn't speak like yesterday, but I preferred it…and hated it. I didn't want to not talk to him really, but if I did it would be arguing stuff, so… it was preferable to not speak at all.

When we got inside the classroom the teacher was already there setting boxes on each table. "Look who's actually doing work for once." Edward joked in a low voice, bending down slightly to reach me. I smiled, it was true, Mr. Banner was usually a lazy man. I think his motto is something like: Students are here to do work; teachers are hear to teach, so why should I be doing the labor?

The teacher looked up at us as we walked in. "Seems you two are getting along better." He noted, probably referring to the times we have both been sent out, or haven't spoken to each other at all for long periods of time. I smiled a little and looked at Edward from the corner of my eye. He was looking at me also, with the same look on his face.

"Well, we've reached-" Edward started.

"-An understanding" I finished.

Mr. Banner nodded and handed us the last stack of boxes. "Good for you, now don't be lazy and go put boxes on your row of tables." He ordered us before going to sit at his desk. _So much for him not being lazy today…_

I looked into the box and saw the materials for…blood typing. …_Great…can't wait to have everybody skewering their fingers._

I sat the boxes down and then moved back to my seat, looking down at the table trying to prepare my self. There was one thing I hated- although I have been doing it a lot lately- and that was showing weakness. I hated going to the sick bay, the E.R, the clinic, you name it.

"Are you okay Bella?" Edward asked worriedly. I was touched that he could tell something was up. I nodded but didn't say anything. I could still feel Edward staring at me, but after a while he turned. I saw his hand reach out to the top of our table and grasp hold of the box. He slid it over to him and looked at what we would be doing. He was still for a while before, "Do you still get sick at the smell of blood?"

I was surprised by his question and how he knew that in the first place. I looked up and nodded, "Yeah, how did you know?" I asked, truly curious. He smiled then.

"Elementary school, year 4. I had been on holidays before the start of school so when I came back and was in your class we were put next to each other. At lunch we all used to play cops and robbers. You fell once, bled real bad and we all helped you to go see the nurse." As Edward recalled this I was remembering it all. I had completely forgotten that. It was girls _and _boys playing at the time, Alice and Edward included. I guess that was before either of them knew the truth…

(cops and robbers: split up into cops and robbers, cops chase robbers, put them in jail- a tree or something- other robbers try to steal the other robbers away to safety, last robber standing is the winner.)

"I remember, you always wanted to be the cop, and you _always_ won." I added.

"And the only reason you didn't get out all the time was cause you knew where to hide and weren't so clumsy at climbing." I smiled at that. It was true; those were the days where I could run around and trip very minimal.

"Those were the days…" I trailed off thinking back to the fun.

"But you always seemed sad" Edward continued softly. I knew what he meant, that was the year my mum had gone away. I didn't say anything more, and Edward didn't push me, I was thankful for that. "Are you going to be okay with the blood typing?" Edward asked after a minute, concern evident in his voice.

I looked up and met Edward's eyes, so green and filled with concern for me. "Probably not" I whispered eventually as the teacher started telling the class what to do.

"You should probably go to the nurse." Edward suggested. I nodded; I knew I couldn't stay in the class room. I looked to the side to see Mike getting pricked by the teacher and immediately my stomach reeled. "Sir, I think Bella's going to be sick" Edward called for me_- great, now all eyes are on me._

The teacher turned and I wasn't sure he believed _Edward_ but I think my face gave it away that he wasn't lying. I could feel my self sweating and I don't think the teacher would like me to be up-chucking all over his floor.

"Better safe then sorry, Edward take her to the nurse." He nodded and picked up both his and mine bags, before wrapping an arm around my waste and leading me out the door. Edward supported most of my weight as we walked and I was thankful.

When we were out of sight of the class room I asked Edward to let me lye down. I didn't want to go to the nurse at all but he insisted, so he only let me rest for about a minute. "You look dead Bella" He commented from above me.

I really wanted to kick him, but couldn't be bothered lifting my leg and putting much effort in, so I settled for, "Shut up", which only made him laugh. After a while he lifted me up, his arm around my back and the other under my knees. I didn't expect him to be able to hold me for long, but he pulled me to his chest, supporting my weight with his body as well as his arms.

Usually I would have complained but I couldn't bring myself to _want_ him to let me go. When we got inside the warm building Edward went straight through the office door to the sick bay area at the back. He set me down on the cot as the nurse walked in, looking surprised at our entry. Edward sat down at the edge of the scratchy cot.

"We were blood typing in biology" He explained to the nurse, she nodded and went to the little freezer in the corner and took out an ice pack.

"Just lay down for a while." She told me, handing over the ice pack. I nodded as I laid the ice pack on my forehead. "Does this happen a lot?" She asked kindly and that's when Edward started laughing at the whole situation. Both the nurse and I eyes flicked to Edward, glaring. He immediately started coughing trying to cover up the sound of his laughing. "You can go back to class now Mr. Masen, I'm sure your father wouldn't want you missing out on class."

Edward became serious instantly. "I was told to stay with her, and take her home afterwards. She can't go back to class with the blood and it wouldn't be safe for her to drive." Edward explained, lying easily. The nurse believed it and nodded.

"I'll get Ms. Cope to sign both of you out. When your ready Bella just tell me." She said before leaving. When she was gone I looked at Edward.

"Lier lier pants on fire" I whispered in a sing-song voice.

Edward smiled crookedly. "I didn't see you complaining." I smiled a tiny bit.

"I have gym next; did I mention I suck at sports?" I heard Edward laugh lightly before the door opened and shut again. I looked to see another kid in my class being towed in by Mike. Edward and I sat up from the cot to clear space from the newcomer. I handed him the ice pack.

"You need it more than I do right now" It was true, the walls weren't spinning, my stomach wasn't lurching painfully.

"I'll take you home now Bella." Edward put his arm on the small of my back and pushed to the door. I looked back and saw Mike looking at us strangely. We walked out the office door and as we walked past Ms. Cope Edward made a face. It was him raising his eyebrows and kind of grimacing. Ms. Cope looked sympathetic as we walked out the door into the cold.

I walked a head a little and looked up to the sky so that the rain hit me, washing away the perspiration. "Bella, this weekend a group of us is going down to La Push, first beach to be exact," I had a feeling I new what Edward was getting at. "And I was wondering whether you wanted to come."

I averted my gaze to a fallen tree branch, not wanting to meet his eyes. I had no idea how or what to answer. "With you and your…friends?" I eventually came up with, thinking of Jessica, Mike, Lauren, Tyler and all those other butts.

"There will be other people there too. Some people from the reservation and that." Edward rushed to get out, trying to convince me. But I was still a little unsure.

"I- I don't know Edward." I finally got out looking up and looking him in the eyes to see how he took it. But I was unable to do so as he turned away from me, hiding his face from view. I think that meant hurt, damn.

"Then when are we going to go out? We have friends to not disappoint." Edward questioned still looking away. I didn't understand what he meant by the last bit, 'We have friends to not disappoint'.

"What do you mean?"

Edward turned to me then smiling, did his moods change constantly? "I _mean_ that your friends can't tell you how wrong I am for you and my friends can't hassle me about being with the pretty weird girl unless we go out." I was startled by the way his mind was thinking- And a little angry that I'm the 'weird girl' in this little story.

"…A-ha, okay" I said shaking my head, slightly annoyed. Edwards face brightened.

"So you'll go out with me?" He asked hopefully.

I stared at him; did he not get it that I was annoyed with him then not agreeing? Or was he just hoping for the best…? "No," His face dropped immediately and he pouted a little- I wasn't sure whether he knew he was doing that or not on purpose.

I sighed heavily, "Edward, because only a few days ago I thought you were utterly repulsive." Which was true- but things changed so quickly. I didn't want to talk about it any more, the whole ordeal confused the hell out of me, so I started walking to Edward s car- knowing that he wouldn't let me drive my own…strangely I didn't mind.

"But we _kissed_ Bella, more than once, and there was _something_ and I know you felt it." Edward said desperately. His words were getting to me, seeing him try _so_ hard just made my heart swell and want to do whatever.

"Edward…" I sighed, desperation clear in my voice. I felt something- Edwards hand catch my hand and turn me around to face him. He was closer than I thought so I got a good solid view of his chest and ad to look higher than usual to see his face. He bent closer to me and I felt myself stretching up on my toes to meet him.

I felt my hands close on the folds of his jacket as our lips met perfectly. My heart clenched and started double time. The sweetness of the moment momentarily made me forget about all the confusion and uncertainty I had been feeling. After a moment I remembered where we were and untangled myself.

"How do you feel about me now?" He asked in a low almost husky voice. I think he was referring to what I said earlier about how only a while ago I found him repulsive and now…drastic change.

"Less repulsive" I joked, smirking.

Edward smiled a beautiful smile and reached around me and opened my door for me. "Progress" He mumbled quietly, at twinkle in his eye. I gave him a look before ducking my head and stepping into the car.

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_Next up is some more __**ExB**__ and yeah, there wasn't much in this one._

_The radio thing was real, the show was 'Australian Idol' it was so funny…_

**When you love someone you can tell...when you're **_**in**_** love with someone, every one else can **_Did people get where this applies in the chapter???_

_**Tell me what you think**__! My goal is to get over 400 reviews- but that's not what's important._

**Extract from a radio show**: funny

Andy: "Now Hamish was a bit upset about staining his brown leather jacket with milk."

Hamish: "Yeah…but leather is cow."

Andy: "Exactly"

Hamish: "…And cows make milk"

Andy: "Exactly"

Hamish: "…So you would think that Milk would be the only liquid in the world that you could bathe leather in"

Andy: "THAT'S WHY COWS HAVE WHITE LEGS! They've been stained!"

Hamish: "They stained themselves!"


	9. nine

_**PICS IN PROFILE **_don't own anything Twilight Related, or Tim Lee's favourite colour reason- you'll see later…he he he…he's a weird one.

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Edward got in the drivers seat and pulled out his keys. "So where do you want to go?" Edward asked as he pushed the key into the slot and started up the engine.

I raised my eyebrows. _Didn't he say he was going to take me home?_ "You're the one driving," I shrugged my shoulders as I turned in my seat so I could face him while he drove.

Edward nodded, but didn't say anything as to what he was thinking. He pulled out of the car park and headed in the opposite direction of my house. After only a minute my curiosity got the better of me and I had to ask, "Where exactly we were going?"

"We're almost there," was all Edward replied with. My shoulders slumped when he answered that and I felt the need to break the quietness. I took this opportunity as one to get to know Edward a little more, because now that I think about it…I really don't know all that much about him.

"So…Edward," I started, Edward turned slightly to me at the mention of my name so I continued. I asked the first thing that came to my mind, "What's your favourite colour?"

Edward smirked slightly at my random question. He thought for a while, looking contemplative, "It's hard to decide" he finally got out. I frowned, that wasn't much of an answer.

"Well…then, what one sounds better when you say it?" I asked, trying to come up with something that would actually get him to expand more on the colour front.

Edward laughed a little, turning to me giving me a weird look, clearly thinking my question was…odd. I raised my eyebrows and took on an expectant expression. Edward turned back to the front, looking out at the empty road ahead. He liked licked his lips while think of an answer.

"Let's see…blue, black, brown, pink, orange…" Edward thought aloud, sounding out the words like a child. Finally he came up with an answer. "My favourite colour to _say_ would have to be…purple."

I smiled a little and tried not to giggle at his choice, "Purple?" I questioned, truly curious. I knew that pink is now a guy colour-_You know, the whole 'it takes a real man to wear pink' pshh whatever, who cares if a person likes pink!-_ as well as girls but…is purple? "Why purple?"

Edward pulled the car to a halt at a stop sign and turned to me. "Because," Edwards tone made it sound as though the answer was obvious, but there was a slightly amused, cheeky glint in his eyes that told me this was bound to be entertaining. "It goes 'pur', slow and sounds like a cat, you know 'purrr'," Edward rolled his tongue to make the purring noise. "And then 'ple', snap, just like that, really fast so the word is slow to fast. It's the best Bella." Edward summed up, shaking his head slowly as though in awe of how great the word is.

I tried not to laugh as he ranted on about his favourite word to say, but I couldn't hold it properly, un-lady like snorting noises were making its way through my sealed lips. Edward looked at me with a surprised look, clearly shocked by my outburst. But his expression pushed me over the edge and loud laughter erupted from me. I held my sides and curled over; hoping that not seeing his face would make it less funny.

I finally calmed down enough to look back up at him, face flushed red from lack of air. Edward was watching me, a smile on his face, clearly enjoying my little fit. "You, Edward Masen, are…odd." I finished lamely. "And different" I continued, studying him for a moment, eyes contemplative. "But that's a good thing and I'm glad you are" I said sincerely, looking into Edwards deep green eyes.

Edward's eyes seemed to soften a little and the mood in the car abruptly felt very intimate and serious, and to be honest, that kind of scared me. I wasn't used to it at all, and it made my insides twist with anticipation and…fear? I swallowed nervously and smiled a little before turning to gaze out the windshield.

"So Edward…Care to tell me now where we were going? Or are you going to keep me in the dark a while longer?" I asked, trying to change the atmosphere.

Edward chuckled a little, "You are _way_ too curious for your own good."

----------------------------------------

A few minutes later Edward pulled to a stop in front of a two storey red brick house. I had never been too familiar with this area of town so I wasn't sure what to make of the house except "That's a nice house- why are we here?"

Edward undid his seat belt before turning to me. "I wanted to show you my house." He said simply, while fire alarms went off in my head.

_He wanted to show me his house? Does that mean he wants me to meet his parents? Or…something else._

Those thoughts were pretty normal if you were in my situation but then completely un-rational thoughts echoed in my head.

_I wonder how many girls he's taken to his house before. _

_Crud_

_Is that jealousy I detect…? _I asked my self obnoxiously. _Gosh, I can't even be nice to myself…_

I struggled to find words to answer his statement. "…Why?" I finally chocked out.

Edward looked slightly confused; as I'm sure I did as well. "Well, because I know your house- well everybody does. Teens need to know the chiefs house to avoid it at times, but you don't know mine." I just stared blankly at him for a moment- _how exactly does his mind_work

"Okay then," I said plainly, before turning to open the door. I stepped out of the car and immediately felt the breeze it my face. I shivered slightly, before meeting Edward at the front of the car. He enveloped my small hand in his and led me to the stairs set into the small hill the house was on. He pulled me towards the door before bending down to take the door key from under the 'welcome' mat. I turned to look at the view from the porch while Edward opened the door. From the porch you could see pretty much the whole town, in patches of course, _trees happen to get very tall_.

I heard the door creak open and turned to see Edward holding the door open for me. I cautiously looked inside and the first thing I saw was the slightly winding staircase and wood banister in contrast with the great amount of polished white. The walls were white, white, white, white…there didn't seem to be a speck of dust or even a shoe out of place.

"Your house is so…neat." I said, bewildered, thinking about the cluttered hallway back at home.

Edward smiled a little, "Yeah, my mums a bit of a neat freak. Come on, I'll show you the rest of the house." Edward grabbed my hand again and pulled me through an arch way type thing to the left.

"Are your parents here, wont you get in trouble for ditching?" I asked as we came to a lounge room that was themed with green and white colours. _How they could want _more_ green was completely unknown to me…_

"My dad won't be back till late, he's not around much. And mum usually gets home about an hour from when I get home…on a normal day. So that gives us about…80 minutes to kill." Edward smiled beautifully and I couldn't help but smile back, and this time, there was no one else around to see it and make me regret it.

"So…I'm guessing- well I _know _your family is pretty well off, huh?" I gestured around the large room, there were so many doors connecting to it that I could only assume the house was large- okay three doors but come on, my house didn't have a door at all to the lounge. "How many bedrooms are there?" I asked leaning on the green leather couch with my hand

"I think five" Edward guessed scratching the back of his head. I felt my eyes widen as my hand slid off the cushion.

"Five bedrooms?" I asked astounded. "But there's only three people living here!" I exclaimed, a little louder than necessary. Three people meant only two bedrooms in use! I felt so out of place standing in this house now compared to the usual small sad sack house I live in.

Edward scratched at his forehead awkwardly, averting his eyes. Something was getting at him. "Yeah, my dad likes to show off his wealth for such a small family, it's not a mansion but for our size family its big…and sometimes it's good to have an extra bedroom when my parents fight. My dad especially gets kicked out of his bedroom a lot." Edward was looking down at the unstained carpet as he spoke, sounding as though he was admitting something very shameful and dark- which to him it probably was.

This was just hinting at the way his dad was- the rich seem to always cheat on their wives, Alice was living breathing proof. Edward seemed uncomfortable at the way the conversation went, he didn't look at me once. "Oh," was all I could come up with, it seemed inadequate but I wasn't sure how else to drop the topic. "At least your parents are still together." I offered, ignoring my previous thoughts. I reached out and held his hand- willingly, not him coming to me- to try and comfort him.

Edward scoffed and looked at me with doubtful eyes, "Barely," Edward's jaw tightened and he looked away again, just for a moment, but I saw frustration, sadness, and even anger in his eyes. I gave a sympathetic smile, deciding to keep my mouth shut for now.

"So…I think I've only seen two rooms so far." I pointed out, indirectly hinting that he had more to show me…apparently _a lot_ more.

Edward soon led me out into the back room facing the back yard. There were wooden blinds covering the windows so I couldn't see all that well outside, but the room was shaped like a semi circle and there was a pool table in the centre.

I let go of Edwards hand and walked into the centre of the room, to the pool table and pulled my self up to sit on it, so that I was facing Edward. "I feel so tiny," I sniffed jokingly and looked around the room for emphasis. Everything in this house was bigger than anything in mine, it made me feel insignificant.

Edward smiled at me and came over and put his hands on my waist, resting his forehead against mine. "Well you are pretty short" He whispered. I glared at him and as much as I tried, was unable to stop my lips from sticking out a little.

"Five four is perfectly average, okay?" I told him in a pathetic sulky voice. Edward just smiled at me and moved his head forward to kiss me. I realised what he was going to do and before he got the chance to, moved my face towards the windows. His lips crashed onto my cheek and I felt a sudden swell of accomplishment. _He won't get away with insulting me!_

Edward went still at my check for a second before I felt him shrug and kiss me on the spot before moving along to the hollow beneath my ear.

_Oh my…_

Involuntary bumps rose on my arms and back and I felt my self slackening. It was affecting me greatly and I sucked in a breath. _Why oh why am I so weak?_

I looked through a small gap in the blinds and saw something bright blue, making me forgot a little about the person sending joyful chills down my spine_. Is that a…_

"You have a pool!" I shouted, making Edward jump back a little in surprise. I slid off the table and lifted the blinds up so I could see the back yard clearly. Edward came over and wrapped his arms around me, resting his chin on my shoulder.

"Again, my dad likes to show his wealth…usually through the material aspects life." Edward murmured before Edward turned again and kissed the base of my neck, clearly not giving up on me.

"But it rains all the time here, and its cold and why would he want a pool?" I rambled on, unsuccessfully trying to get my questions straight. I guess my awe at his house just puts into contrast what different worlds we live in.

"Bella, haven't you realised that the water feels warmer when it rains?" I shut my mouth after that, not wanting to sound even more…unexperienced than I already had.

I gazed around the room once more – not realising that just gave Edward more access to my exposed neck - and sighed with contentment. "I love your house- and I haven't even seen upstairs yet. Remind me again why I don't like rich people." I said, trying to not think about the person holding me.

Edward stopped and turned me around. He smiled ruefully, "Well maybe I could remind you if you opened up to me and told me why you hate before you really know a person."

I was surprised that this was what was coming out of his mouth. I stepped out of Edwards arms and kept my eyes on the ground. _Do I really want to tell him the full story about my mothers seemingly gold-digger life. …Maybe…_

I looked up and met Edwards questioning, careful eyes, hoping that I would see something in them that would make my decision so much easier. Edward's eyes were soft and caring, and he seemed cautious as to whether I was going to explode on him- a sign that he was thinking about how I would react to this conversation.

I nodded slowly, keeping eye contact. "Okay," I agreed softly, then added in a sly tone, "But firstly…I don't think I've seen the upper region of the house. So get moving Masen." I ordered jokingly. I put one hand under his elbow and led him towards the door that I_thought_ led to the stairs.

"Ah, Bella," Edward stopped, making me stumble backward. Instead he linked arms with me and spun me towards the second door. "That way" He said as he pointed in the direction of the door.

…Oh

I laughed nervously, "_Right,_ that way then" I agreed making my way across the room, hoping that he didn't notice the tips of my ears going red…

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"And last but not least, my room." Edward pushed the door lightly, holding it open for me so I had a clear view of the room.

The décor of the room was varying shades of gold and cream colours. There was a cluttered desk, with a barley seen laptop covered in papers and books, there were shelfs built into the wall, which were stacked with CDs, a TV and the usual bedroom necessities. But what I was happily surprised that his room was completely the opposite to the rest of the room.

No it wasn't small- it was _way_ bigger than mine, but everything freakishly neat and tidy? Nope. Clearly Edward wasn't like his mother in that department- well at least he can't be judgemental if he ever see's my room when I'm not prepared for company.

I turned around to Edward; he was watching my face intently to see my reactions. _In that case…bring on impassive face._

I cleared my face of any emotion, a mask of blankness. This seemed to irk Edward and he sent me a sympathetic smile. "…sorry about the mess" He offered, assuming that was why I was staring at him like this.

"Why, Edward!" I said, acting very overdramatic, my cool mask of blankness cracking. "How cliché of you, that line…way over used." I continued in a dry voice, changing my emotions drastically- just to confuse him, not that I would admit it out loud…

_It must suck for him that old habits die hard_

Edward gave me a weird look and I knew that he was definitely and thoroughly confused. _My work here is done!_ I smiled widely at him before moving past him to sit on the bed. The bed beneath me felt lumpy so I shifted around uncomfortably before pulling out the thing I was sitting on.

It was a pair of boxers; I held them out by the waist band and admired the picture on them, smirking. I slid my eyes to see how Edward was reacting to what I happened to be holding.

I tried so hard not laugh at the look of mortification on Edwards face as he stepped forward and snatched the underwear from my hands. I intertwined my fingers on my lap as I pressed my lips together to try and stop from erupting in laughter. But I failed; small laughs were getting out, sounding more like me gasping for breath.

Edward was silent- too silent. So I tried to compose myself before I slid my gaze back up to Edward…whose face was pink! Inside I laughed maniacally at this face- _Edward Masen_ was _blushing_! "Loony Tunes, Tasmanian Devil?" I asked speculatively, breaking into laughter half way through, remembering the image of Taz, the Tasmanian devil on a motorbike…with the words 'Born to be wild'…on Edward's boxers! (profile)

"They were a joke present from the guys one year…I was behind on the laundry!" He told me, defensively. I continued giggling, unable to stop as just looking at Edward's red face reminded me of why he was blushing. Edward seemed to be getting angry at my laughing and asked, "Well what kind of underwear do _you_ have at home?" I assumed he was trying to move the embarrassment on to me.

I stopped laughing immediately and tried not to let my already flushed face get any brighter. "Oh! Wouldn't you like you to know, you perve." I teased trying to get his mind off the underwear topic, and get him focused on the insult. But Edward just folded his arms and waited._Damn…_ There was a deafening silence for over a minute, Edward and I staring each other down…before…

"I have…Wonder woman underwear somewhere from Alice." I admitted after a long pause. Edward was much better at glaring than I.

Edward snickered but his face tightened a little at Alice's name. _Right, that_. "So now that you're finished laughing at me, are you going to tell me about your mother?" Edward asked, seeming just as desperate to change the subject from our under garments.

I averted my gaze to the cream coloured carpet and took a deep breath, knowing that I had to tell him. "My mum left Charlie and me when I was ten," I started quietly before meeting Edward's eyes. "And just a month later she was with some rich, up himself jerk that flaunted off his money and way he could…and mummy dearest just sucked it all up, and hasn't looked back since. So you can imagine why I immediately hated you, rich family, spoilt son that got anything he wanted…"My voice trailed off as I thought at how true that comment was.

He _had_ got anything he wanted. A car for his sixteenth, cell phone after cell phone, girls…

"Anyway…now that I've told you about my personal family life, I believe there is…certain," I struggled to come up with any appropriate words for his dad's affair thing. I just want him to come clean with me and hopefully get some peace between him and Alice. "Okay, fine! I think I know what happened that causes you and Alice to hate each other." I rushed out, after failing to find any…subtle way of saying it.

Edward's eyes widened slightly and I watched as a wall came up over his face, hiding all emotion but the anger that rushed into his features. And to be honest…it scared me a little. "How much do you know?" Edward asked, folding his arms over his chest tightly, his voice carefully impassive.

I watched his carefully, looking for any sign that he was going to be angry with _me_. "I know as much as Alice knows." I said after a pause, quietly, softly. Edward scoffed angrily and turned away from me, staring out the windows at the opposite end of the room. Edward was nodding his head angrily, as though comprehending the whole situation and talking to himself about it…or internally yelling at Alice…or me…or the world if he wants to get all emo about it. "But what Alice knows may be different to what you know." I tried, hoping that maybe that would help…

_Yeah right._

Edward huffed as he turned to me. "How can you even say that? She told you what _she_ thinks; she's your best friend so you will probably just go on her side anyway. You make that pretty clear with the fact you don't even like to be seen with me." Edward said in a rush, glaring at the spot above my head. His words stung, he thought I would just take a side and not even hear him out? _What was I just trying to get him to do, talk about his situation just so I could rub it in his face later?_

I stood up and walked cautiously over to Edward's side by the window. "Edward, if I was going to take sides…I wouldn't be here right now, in your room after just having had the grand tour. If I truly believed you were in the wrong do you think I would waste my time here?" I reached out to rest my hand on his fore arm but as soon as I made contact Edward moved away from me.

I sighed heavily; feeling defeated as he went to the bed and laid down on his back, sprawling out like a star fish, staring blankly at the ceiling. "How long have you known exactly?" Edward asked after a moment of desperate silence.

"About a week or so," I answered automatically. Edward didn't even shake his head, acknowledging that I had said anything. I sighed exasperatedly and quietly made my way over to the edge of the bed. Edward didn't even look at me when I was standing over him.

_Shiiiii…ugar_

A sudden rush of emotion ploughed through me. _How does he make me feel bad for him?_ I crawled onto the bed next to him; trying not to disturb him to much as I moved so I was laying down next to him. I rested my head on his shoulder and laid my arm over his torso and put my leg over his.

_What happened to showing no weakness…again? _I asked myself…again. Usually I have no problem being completely stubborn- even with myself- and then, I get one stray emotion towards Edward and then…Call me Miss Huggable!

Edward and I just lay like that for who knows how long, all I know was that I kept waiting for him to push me away from him or say something harsh. He hadn't reacted to me actually coming to him for once so I just assumed he was angry with me, which was making my insides churn in anticipation. After a while his arm encircled me, pulling me tight to Edward's body.

He didn't say anything, but a small amount of relief went through my body. "Sorry I made you angry, Edward." I mumbled.

"You didn't make me angry," Edward said, sounding surprised.

I frowned, "Then, were you angry at Alice for telling me?" I asked, now very immaturely thinking if boys could have PMS.

I heard Edward sigh, "I'm not angry that Alice told you," Edward answered after a pause, almost grudgingly- the sound of it almost made me laugh but I kept my mouth shut._ He sounded like a two year old._

I gestured with my hand to go on and waited. "The whole thing brings out the worst in me, okay?" Edward snapped, taking me aback. I felt Edward take a deep breath beneath me before he muttered, "Sorry, no better proof than seeing evidence first hand though, eh?"

I think he was trying to lighten the mood but it just made me realise that this_really was_ a touchy spot for him. "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to." I told him, while actually desperately wanting to understand what he thinks about his dad's affair, but I didn't want to be selfish.

Edward didn't say anything for a moment so I just took that as his 'okay' to not saying anything. But he proved me wrong, "No…I want to tell you, but I don't know how to say it…" I couldn't help the smile stretching over my face, he wanted to tell me! He _trusts_ me enough.

"Well, how about…how did you find out about it- your dad's affair?" I felt Edward tense beneath me, which in turn made my muscles tighten waiting for him to explode, but he soon relaxed again.

"My mum- she just told me out of no where one day, she was pretty upset. I don't know whether she just found out herself or if it was all just catching up to her…" Edward trailed off, clearly his mind wandering back to past events- his mother flustered and blubbering about what her husband had gone and done.

I found this image very hard to see. Elizabeth Masen _always_ looked presentable, hair neat, make-up as good as could be, clothing ironed, and the way she presented herself to people- _very_ business like. So you could understand why I couldn't imagine Ms. Straight Arrow being overly emotional, but, hey, what do I know?

Edward took another deep breath before continuing on, sounding far off. "And just from then on, she always tells me, 'don't be like your father Edward, he's not worth it, promise me that you wont ever do something like this to a person, it's not worth it, not worth the pain'….I don't know what it is, but teenagers just naturally try and do what there parents tell them not to…that was me in a nut shell." Edward mused out loud. I noticed the past tense in his words.

"Was?" I questioned softly, not really wanting to break him out of his period of complete honesty.

Edward ignored my question for the time being. "She was telling me to not go out with lots of girls, and I did anyway. I guess I was trying to prove to myself that even if I went from woman to woman that I wasn't a worse person for it and that it was okay as long as no one got hurt in the process….I don't want to hurt people Bella." He explained, seeming to have trouble with what to say and where to put the words.

"I think I was just trying to make myself believe that my dad wasn't a low person for doing what he did…But if you ever noticed, the girls I went out with never felt cheated, or betrayed after I was with them, as I said, I don't want to hurt people. I may have twisted words around, lying to get them to feel better but that was only so I didn't hurt them to bad.

"Was?" Edward refereed back to my earlier assessment, that he _was_ the guy that didn't do what his parents told him- _to not be like his dad_ "…I realised that I wasn't fooling every body. You saw Bella, you saw that I was being a jerk to all these people, you saw for what it really was…the thing I was trying convince myself otherwise."

I kept silent, waiting for him to finish. _I was finally unravelling the secret that was Edward Masen…_

"And I…well admit that…I have always kind of had a thing for you, so really I couldn't help pursuing you…but me acting like a complete sleaze ball kind of stuck so I never really got very far did I? But here you are…in _my_ arms, when everyone thought you were unattainable." Edward's voice poorly masked the pure bewilderment, disbelief, the astonishment that I was here, with him of all people.

"You're not the only one that's shocked to find them selves in this position." I mentioned dryly. How true that was…never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would be involved with The Player of Forks High. "And, as embarrassing as it is…even when I thought you had boy cooties, you weren't painful to look at." I felt my face heat up to a shocking temperature- and was sure he'd be able to feel it through his shirt- at what I had just implied.

I felt Edwards body shake as he laughed, which made me smile at the sound. We were silent for a while, absorbing all that had been said in the past few minutes. I felt that Edward was finished talking but I still had one issue to work out.

"Edward?" I murmured, getting his attention. Edward didn't speak, just made a '_hmm_' noise as though he was tired. "I don't think I would mind officially going out with you if Alice and you…_accepted_ each other. I know you resent her somewhat, she's pretty much thy symbol of your father's betrayal but…you know it's not her fault, right?" When I finished my rant, I realised just how fast I had been talking. I hoped he understood- _its hard enough getting this emotional stuff out the first time._

Edward let out a long breath but didn't say anything at first. It got me worried that he didn't think that I was worth it, a pang racked through my body at the thought. But those thoughts and feeling were dissipated. "For you, I'd try, I know it's not her fault but it usually feels better to blame someone else than the actual one that's at fault…Old habits die hard, you know."

I let out the breath I hadn't realised I had been holding and smiled as I hugged Edward tight. "Thank you," I breathed as I squeezed his torso as tight as possible with one hand. I craned my neck to kiss him tenderly on the cheek as thanks for agreeing to try. I turned onto my stomach, folded my arms on the bed in front of me so I was propped up and folded my ankles and began swinging them in the air-_clearly in higher spirits_.

_I won't be keeping secrets anymore. I won't be keeping secrets anymore. I won't be keeping secrets anymore,_ I sang to myself in a very awkward tune due to all the syllables.

Edward noticed my cheerfulness and noted matter-of-factly, "You look very pleased, maybe I should find more things to keep you like this." I rolled my eyes but smiled anyway.

"I just- I don't need to keep secrets from Alice anymore…" I then realised that although Edward had agreed to _try_ not and hold a grudge against Alice, didn't mean I was out if the woods yet… "This brings me back to how to tell her." I thought aloud. Edward looked at the ceiling and laid his head back on the hand that had been around me, seeming again a little out of it. I suddenly recalled my conversation with Jasper the other day.

"Hey," I slapped Edwards arm lightly with the back of my hand, getting his attention. "You do know that Jasper is trying to get Alice to go to the dance with her, right?" I questioned, but Edward just looked confused clearly showing his answer. I'm guessing Jasper wouldn't have wanted to tell him because of Edward's little grudge he held against her. "Yeah, he wanted me to try and get her to go along with it. See, I reckon that if she gives into Jasper then she'll be a little more…accepting of you." I explained, letting him in on my little 'plan'.

Edward nodded, considering the possibilities of my scheming. "Aren't we the devious one today." He said finally. I smirked, wickedly, hamming it up and was almost tempted to do some sort of witch cackle…_Eeek-hohohoho_…

…No-_people think I'm weird enough already._

Edward grabbed my hand and brought it to his chest, laying it over his heart with his own on top. I smiled and felt relatively calm, not freaked out by the small gesture. I think I was finally getting used to this relationship thing…I think.

We sat in silence as the seconds ticked by and I made up some scenario in my head about Alice not minding if I'm with Edward, and she being with Jasper, Emmett makes Rosalie nicer, and then we're all happy. And in the background…are Jessica and Lauren being all jealous and then-

"Edward Honey, guess what I brought home!" A woman's voice called up the stairs in an overly bright voice. My head snapped in Edward's direction as he did the same in mine. We stared at each other for a completely still moment.

O-oh…

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**Sorry for the lateness- my internet got taken away from me (Dad is doing this course and it affects people really strongly and his emotion in anger and he tends to take it out on me –the teenager that will pick a fight with him so I'm the easiest to vent off- so for absolutely no reason took my internet away for a week) so this chapter has been sitting for about 6 days.**

**And I won't be able to update for a while longer as well. Its my last term of school before summer holidays so I have all my yearlies at the moment and are getting assignments thrown at me left right and centre. You can imagine I'm stressed ( for science they gave us a check list of everything we had to know for out test…I counted them…85 THINGS I HAVE TO STUDY FOR 1 TEST! It's killing me, a test everyday this week so you'll no what I'll be doing in the afternoons.**

**Sorry!!!**

**Things to Never Say to a Woman During an Argument**

Whoa, time out. Football is on.

Sorry. I was just picturing you naked.

Is there any way we can do this via e-mail?

Don't you have some laundry to do or something?

You are so cute when you get mad.

You're just upset because your bottom is beginning to spread.

Wait a minute - I get it. What time of the month is it?

You sure you don't want to consult the great Oprah on this one?

Looks like someone had an extra bowl of bitch flakes this morning!

Who are you kidding? We both know that thing ain't loaded

**Review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**Thanks! **


	10. ten

_**DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT!!!!**_

_Enjoy the chapter…there is some implied…rudeness…but it's not anything a rating T cant handle._

_Thanks so much for the reviews and adding me to your fav authors, alerts and all that. It's going really well:_

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_Recap: "Edward Honey, guess what I brought home!" A woman's voice called up the stairs in an overly bright voice. My head snapped in Edward's direction as he did the same in mine. We stared at each other for a completely still moment._

_O-oh…_

Edward sat up quickly, straight as a board, my hand still held in his own. I didn't say anything, too worried about being over heard. But my wide eyes seemed to portray the message:

_What the hell should I do?_

Edward grimaced and slid off the bed, obviously not sure what to do as well. I stood up also, feeling like I wasn't contributing much by sitting on my butt- not that there was much 'contributing' of thoughts going on.

"Edward? Where are you?" Mrs. Masen's voice called out again, a little cautiously, obviously getting worried about Edward not answering her the first time. I could only imagine the things that were running through her mind as to why he wasn't answering:

Passed out, drowned, kidnapped, someone broke in and hit him over the head with a baseball ba- _Okay stop. You're making yourself hysterical over something that hasn't even happened yet._

"I'm here mum! I'll be down in a second." Edward called out, his loud voice breaking through the quiet, hurting my ears.

"Should I be here?" I whispered frantically as Edward moved towards the door. He looked back at me with slightly wide eyes.

"I'm not sure…"He pondered his options for a second, hand on the door handle. "When I go downstairs, I'll lead her into one of the back rooms and you sneak down and," I felt the need to point out that any kind of sneaking only lead to disaster in my case, but kept my mouth shut. "Just go to my car. I'll make up some excuse to go and I'll take you back to school to get your tr-" Edward stopped abruptly and put his ear close to the door.

"What is…?" I trailed off seeing Edwards hand raised up, signalling me to be quiet. I felt slightly annoyed at that action. _Telling me what to do…puh-lease. _But I knew it was for a good reason, I think Edward had learned his lesson about bossing me around too much.

I listed carefully, just as Edward was and I could hear shoes clacking…getting louder.

…_Crap_

Edward stared at me for a second, grimacing, not sure what to do. "Hide under the bed" He whispered urgently. I didn't think twice about it, I stepped over the things on the floor, jumped up onto the bed, clumsily tried to run across it before landing on the other side. I turned my head just in time to see Edward open the door and the side of Elizabeth Masen's head. With a small yelp I let my self fall to the ground and out of sight of Edward's mother who was now right out side the door.

_Please say she didn't here my little yelp…_

I listened carefully to try and figure out if there were any surprised movements saying that she heard _something. _

"Mum, I said I would be down in a second, you didn't have to come up here." Edward said and I could just imagine him using a caring, gentle smile to convince her.

"I know, I know" She sighed, but you could tell she was smiling at his sons obvious care. "But you didn't answer and you know I worry. Your practically and adult now you're your always here alone and…" She trailed off and I began to feel a twisting in stomach, yelling at me to 'move!' and hide. "Edward," Mrs. Masen groaned, disapproving. "Your room is an absolute pig sty. What if we had guests over?" She asked as she stepped into the room.

"It's not that bad," Edward argued, moving with her and I heard there footfalls getting closer to this side of the room. Panicking, I slid into the small gap between the floor and the bed. _I'm so lucky I'm small boned otherwise I wouldn't even be able to fit my head under here._

"Not that bad?" She questioned, sarcastically. "I don't think I should be the one to be cleaning your room for you now Edward. You've been spoilt in the past, time to grow up."

It was hard to move underneath here, my back was pressed right up against the bottom of the mattress and my hands were squished beneath my stomach. From this standpoint- I mean squish-point – I could see the mother and son's feet. His mother was wearing cream coloured heels, again, looking presentable as always.

My eyes followed their feet until they got to the window, on the side I had been hiding just mere seconds ago. I heard the curtains being slid back further and then the sliding of the windows as they opened, letting a gust of wind through that even I felt underneath the bed.

"I know Mum." Edward answered obediently. "But it's not like there's anyone here." Edward added on, layering it on a little thick if she had any idea that something was not right. I snorted at this- _Liar, liar pants on fire…-_apparently a little too loud.

The heels moved around so that their point was facing me. "Did you hear that?" She asked in a kind of out of there voice, making me tense._Oh god, she knew, she knew, she knew. She's going to find me, and tell my dad and then I will be grounded for the rest of my stupi-_

"Nope," Edward answered automatically, a few octaves higher, making me stop working my self into a pit of despair.

"Oh, okay. I'm loosing my mind in my old age." Mrs. Masen laughed at her self, a little flustered. She sat down at the end of the bed, making the springs creak the tiniest bit.

"You're not old." Edward amended, coming to sit down next to his mother on the bed. The bed creaked louder with his weight and moved down; making me a little friendlier with the floor- since now the side of my face was smooshed into it! "Still early forties." (I just realised that by the time I'm 17…my parents will still be in their 30's. And they think they're old! At 14 some people's parents are already in there 40's…off topic, sorry)

Elizabeth laughed a little, not in a very humour filled way either. "I feel old though, my job and your father are very stressful." She said in an almost empty voice. "Not to mention the fact that I have a teenage boy to try and look after." She added, her voice coming back to life with the trace of a smile.

"Yeah well, this teenage boy you speak of has to look out for his mother, not the other way around. He can look after him self." Edward said with so much care and love in his voice that I felt my heart melting. I would have smiled if my face wasn't squished against the floor and making the side of my face numb.

There was silence for a while. Peaceful quiet, between son and mother…with girl stashed away underneath son's _bed_…._Yeah…something's wrong with that picture…_

"So, what did you want to show me again?" Edward asked, finally breaking the little bond of kinship.

"Oh right, I see how it is. You want me out of the room, I understand you boys don't like having there mothers in their rooms, with there_things_ to hide and all." She said in that overly motherly voice, thinking she knows what's going on with her little baby. But what she was implying….made me burst out laughing right on the spot. Edward kicked the bed and started coughing while I tried to smother my giggling.

Edward didn't say anything after his coughing fit, and I was sure his face was red. Heck, even my face was red! Then finally, "…Yeah," he said slowly, sounding very uncomfortable. "Now what was it you got on your way home that you wanted to show me…again?" He asked, sounding a little more cautious…can't blame him.

"Oh! Remember-" She started, but then breaking off as the phone rang through the house. I heard her sigh heavily. "I'll be right back. That's probably your father with some excuse about how he can't make it to dinner tonight." She added bitterly before getting up and stomping towards the door.

After she was out the door Edward stood up, the mattress springing back up with is weight gone. I struggled to get out from under the bed and when I finally rolled out I lay on my back staring up at the ceiling, breathing in the nice cool air that had escaped me underneath the bed.

Edward came and stood over me, looking at my face, obscuring my vision of the ceiling. Seeing his face made the corners of my lips twitch up in a smile, and my nostrils flare as I tried not to laugh…at least not through my mouth. I slowly stood up and looked away from his face so I could actually breathe correctly.

I took a deep breath before sliding my eyes over to Edward's, only to have my words, "That was just too funny," spoken between giggling. Edward glared at me for a moment not happy at my laughing at his expense. "Sorry," I mumbled after I managed to get a hold of my laughter. Edwards gaze softened as he stared at my remorseful face.

"You still need to get out of here with out my mum seeing you…unless you want the awkward introductions." Edward prompted, giving me two really bad options that I hated.

"Okay, I'm going. Problem is….How? It's not like I can just walk out the front door." I asked looking around purposely for effect. Edward looked thoughtful for a minute, his chin resting in his hand, eyebrows furrowed. And then, his eyes brightened and a smile lit up his face. I could almost hear the _ding_ as the light bulb flared to life above his head.

"The balcony above the front porch, you can get down easily from there." Edward told me, sounding almost…_excited? _Guess this whole action thing was extremely fun and exciting to him. That's boys for you…

"_Yeah_, because climbing out of _balconies_ is so easy. _Can't wait_," I commented sarcastically, but all I got in return was a long-suffering look from Edward. _Great, no sympathy at all from my boyfriend…If that's what he is…_

"I'll go distract my mother so she doesn't notice you. Again, wait for me at the car, okay?" Edward asked, again, drilling the plan into my head. I nodded dumbly, not sure what exactly to say apart from 'yes'._What, did he think I was dumb?_

"Sir yes Sir!" I stamped my feet together, straightening my back before saluting. Edward looked disapproving so I just smiled encouraging at him.

"Come on then." Edward opened the door for me then, and continuing my soldier act, tuned towards the door, posture stiff as possible, stomped on the ground once more before marching out the door, arms straight at my sides, swinging back and forth. I looked back at Edward as I got to the opposite wall to the door. He rolled his eyes at me, but there was definitely a smirk there.

_Yep, because I'm Mrs Cheer-up…or not…but hey! It worked on him. _

Edward moved towards the staircase and then pointed to the door to the left of me, mouthing 'through there'. I nodded once again. I could hear Mrs. Masen talking again on the phone so I tried to be quiet as I walked.

I opened the door Edward had pointed to. It was one of the spare bedrooms and sure enough, there were sliding doors to a balcony. I quickly and quietly walked over to them and slowly slid open the doors, trying to not let them make too much noise.

I stepped out onto the neatly kept balcony and carefully slid the door closed behind me. I looked over the side and saw the hedges beneath me, lining the foot path to the door…and when you're actually up here it was a bigger drop that it seemed.

I gulped and tried to mentally prepare my self to get myself down. _Okay, you can do this Bella. _

This would be perhaps a great time for a cheerleading squad inside your head to get you all pepped up… _what is it they cheer out?_

_Where number one…cant be number two…where gonna beat the whoopse out of you._

_Yeah…something tells me, that's not going to help me here…unless beating the 'whoopse' out of the house helps._

Groaning I swung my leg over the rail, seeing no point in postponing this any longer. I held onto the rail as tight as possible, watching where my feet were being placed. When I had my other leg over and was standing on the edge of the balcony and the porch roof I tried to turn around so I could grip the wall, in the process making the mistake of looking down as I let go of the bars.

My stomach was in nervous knots and my palms were sweating as I hung onto the bars for dear life. My breathing became shallow as I tried again to turn my self around. As soon as one hand was released I turned as quickly and surly as I could and grabbed the first thing I could reach.

Okay, I had turned now. I let out a breath of relief, part one was over. Part two…groan.

I didn't trust my footing enough to actually get onto the porch roof and climb down from there, so I bent down, holding onto the railing the whole time. Once I was bent as far as I could I slowly edged my left foot backwards ever so slightly until it was completely off the balcony edge.

I closed my eyes, trying to gain courage and keep moving my foot until it reached the roof- My foot hit something hard and when I turned my head a little I saw it was the porch roof…. _oh, okay…wasn't so far after all._

My foot patted around clumsily, trying to find a place where it had a good grip so I could put pressure on it. After a moment I was able to get the groove of shoe onto the ledge and press on it with out my foot slipping. Okay, next foot is the problem.

I straightened up as far as I could go with my leg out stretched behind me. I knew I must have looked quite a spectacle as I regretfully untangled myself out of the hug with the bars and held myself out at arms length. Maybe if someone saw me from far away they would think that I was just some mentally disabled cat that didn't know how to move its legs accordingly.

_Yep that's me in my past life…mentally disabled cat._

I jumped around a bit on the spot, not taking my feet or hands of there respective places but enough to see if it would hold me. Yes…it was made out of brick and it would hold me but you never know.

I put more pressure in holding the bars and practically ground my left leg into the porch roof as I moved my right leg away from the balcony side. I moved it quickly, following the line of the other leg so as not to freak out the same way I did with the other.

So now I was spread out between two bits of a house with hedges beneath me. On the Brightside, if I fell I'd hit the hedges-bug infested hedges- instead of the path way. _Okay, get a grip- literally. This is the part where you swing down and if your palms are sweating- _Not Going to Help.

I pulled away from the balcony so that I was now only on the porch…easier than I thought. I kneeled down at the edge of the porch, wiping my hands on my jeans- taking the tip of 'getting a grip' seriously- and place my hands on either side of my, holding on the side for dear life.

I sild myself backwards further and further before taking a deep breath and closing my eyes tight before letting myself drop. I kept my mouth closed but a small yelp got through as I fell, expecting to keep falling and falling and falling into a bottomless pit of nothingness, never to make it out again, living my life in a shell-…okay I'm stopping now, stopping as soon as my arms stopped me from dropping- which was about two seconds after I let myself fall by the way!

I opened my eyes to find myself staring at Edward and his mother in front of the stairs. _Oops…wouldn't be a good thing if she turned around now and saw some stray girl hanging from her roof._

Not thinking about it to long I let go of the roof and before I knew it- literally – I hit the ground. The line 'a short drop and a sudden stop' came to mind. In the process I jarred my ankle. The burning in my ankle made me grimace but there was something more important right now.

I overcame the wall, I mean, roof…balcony…porch what ever it is I had done. A small smile crept its way onto my face, pride colouring me eyes. I had done it, and I'm not in the bug infested hedges with leaves stuck in my hair.

What I didn't realise that the thump had alerted Edward to my presence in front of the door. He was looking wide eyed at me and shooting almost panicked glance at his mother in front of him. All I could see was the medium length auburn hair, blow dried to perfection and the back of her neatly pressed dress suit.

But apparently Elizabeth Masen caught the movement of his son's eyes and turned confused to the door. She stopped when she saw me standing there. I smiled sheepishly and raised my hand and curled it into a fist.

"Knock Knock" I mumbled weakly.

-------------------haha, I was gonna leave it here!----------------------------

Mrs. Masen just stared at me for a second, looking me over before smiling gently. Can I get a sigh of relief anyone? She didn't realise I just fell from the sky.

"Your Chief Swan's daughter, correct?" She asked coming over to stand by the door. Edward looked at me and pretended to wipe his brow, I nodded to show that I agreed.

"_Yeah_, I am. Bella Swan" I replied smiling and still standing there with nothing else to say. I put my fisted hand down and held my hands together in front of me, rocking on my heels slightly.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure Miss Swan?" She asked very formally. I paled slightly, what was I doing here? _Um…sneaking out of your house- because, you know…that's normal.._

"I invited Bella over for dinner tonight." Edward interjected, coming to stand next to his mother. She looked up at him, and seemed to give him a sly dance.

"Oh, okay then." She sounded surprised, glancing in my direction a moment before returning to her sons face. "You didn't tell me." She continued. And I realised then, she didn't like the look of me, she had turned to me, looked me over, head to know and thought I wasn't good enough. I felt my face drop at this, even though it wasn't actually the plan to stay for dinner it did hurt that his mother was…non-happy with me- every girl's nightmare.

But seriously, how could a parent not like me? I was the Chiefs daughter, I abide by the laws, I read, I do my school work. I practically have future librarian stamped all over me!

"I don't mean to intrude." I said politely, almost hoping that by saying this I could get some brownie points.

They both looked at me then, making me feel self-conscious. I stepped back a little, feeling like a really big cockroach in a really small area…everybody could see me.

"You're not intruding, dear." Elizabeth Masen said with a warm smile, sounding almost offended at the idea of her not wanting me to be there. "Please come in. I was just surprised; Edward doesn't usually have girls over." She ushered me in, but I stopped and turned, confused to look at Edward.

"Really?" I asked suspiciously to Mrs. Masen but while looking at Edward. I really doubted he didn't have girls over very often. Maybe his mother didn't know they were over, but he definitely wasn't alone more often than not. That thought actually made me feel like a chunk of me was just ripped out, but hey what could I do? It's the sad truth.

"Yeah, it's true." Mrs. Masen answered. Then began walking towards where I knew the lounge was- but she didn't know that I knew… "Well, we're already one person down- your father said he had to stay in at work late" She directed to both me and Edward, talking about Edward senior. "…Case files or something he had to work on." She added a little bitterly and I had the feeling she thought that was complete bull. "So I was thinking take out or something…but if I knew we were having a guest over I would have prepared something." She gave a pointed look at Edward when she said this, but smiled anyway.

"Pizza's fine, honestly, your house, your rules, your decisions…I just go along with it." I amended very much sucking up, I admit.

Mrs. Masen sighed happily and turned to look at Edward. "She's darling," She summed up after a pause of happy smiles. I blushed red at this comment and tried to conceal my grin of satisfaction. _Aha, I got the red seal of approval. _"So…what kind of pizzas do you want? Bella?" She asked kindly.

"Er, I really don't mind." I said trying to be polite and not seem demanding. I was still trying to make an impression here.

Her face dropped, but she didn't look angry or upset, she was still grinning. "Seriously Bella, you're the guest here, Edward and I are trying to accommodate you."

"Yes Bella, make your self at home." Edward added, leading me over to the couch and pulling me down next to him. His mother's smile seemed to get bigger at this gesture, rather than getting worried as my father would.

"Well I guess I'll say peperoni then." I finally decided, shrugging but pleased I was being so welcomed and my earlier thoughts were far from the truth.

"Ah,_yum_, good choice." She said as she wrote it down on a bit of paper to take to the phone. I smiled, she was so nice…and so- different from what she's like outside of her home.

Edward raised his hand and said, "Can I have the lot on mine- except anchovies?" His mum nodded as she wrote this down as well.

"You can eat a whole pizza on your own?" I asked Edward. He nodded as though it was the most normal thing ever…okay well Charlie has done it before…and Emmett…but when you look at both Emmett and even my dad…there not that small.

"Yeah, you should see him. Just like his father, can eat practically anything set in front of him." Elizabeth added, jokingly.

I nodded, "I think it's a boy thing," I added after thinking again about Emmett and Charlie while Alice, Angela and I were always around the 4 slices maximum.

"Yeah, and also that they know they can barley handle eating something but they do anyway." Elizabeth added on, clearly having lots to say on the topic. "Like Edward getting everything on his pizza, peppers and all. He practically cries sometimes yet he doesn't like saying he has that weakness." I grinned, his mum is pretty cool.

"…Mom" Edward groaned on the couch next to me, covering his face with his arm.

"What?" she asked offended. "I'm just warning her, wouldn't want you to start randomly crying in front of her would you?" She asked rhetorically, Edward just stared at her, saying something through his eyes that I couldn't understand. Guess it was something mother and child could understand- which is why I couldn't. "Alright, I'll go order now." She said throwing her arms up, teasing, and turned the corner back into the front room.

I watched after her, not saying anything and just thinking…wow, a lot has happened today. "She likes you, you know?" Edward whispered in my ear, sending chills down my spine, and making my back tense.

"_Yeah,_" I responded as though that was the most obvious thing in the world. "Your mom and I are like," I crossed my fingers and held them up. "_this_."

**-----------------------------**

**Thanks people! Shorter than others, but I was trying to make it quick!**

**Please review and tell me what you think! I'm hoping for 600 but what ever happens I'll still be happy!**

**C'mon its chapter 10! That's a big important number! Review!**

I have to clean my room now...its a pig sty! my bed is covered in clothesand i seriously dont know how i sleep in it...


	11. AN

Hey Guys, sorry about this. But I have some especially ugly information.

I wont be updating for a little while, and I have a good reason, that is purely for the purpose of my story.

The day started off pretty okay, school was hell...math teacher is b word (baboon people...okay not really), school day ended wonderfully. A horrible day ending great! …I get home and some news gets broken, leaving me quite upset.

My stupid dad has broken up with my mother- OVER THE PHONE none the less... leaving her a crying wreck, and who does she get dumped on when she cant hold her own?…Us kids. I love my dad…but god he is a jerk.

You know in 'I hate you! but still…' the speech Edwards mum made about his dad not being worth it and all….yeah, that was real words...advice more like... from my mother, more about how to never end up with some idiot like him...its not worth it...blah.

But, yeah, I'm a little upset, and I don't want it to be brushing off on my writing, or affecting the way the stories going to go. And the only reason I'm telling you all this, is cause you guys are great readers- truly I'm SOOOOOO happy with the way both my stories have gone, you wouldn't believe it. So I think you deserve a real reason, than some hedged garbage.

And for readers of 'Drama's of the Heart'. SOOOO sorry about the GREAT lateness, ive been waiting for a weekend that is completely free of things to do so i can go ahead and get quite a few chapters done. Believe it or not, there isnt much till the end of that story. Thats why i didnt make a sequel as i knew it wasnt going to be much.

Anyway, AGAIN sooo SORRY!

Anyway, until next time!

-A VERY SORRY Jessica


	12. eleven

_**Title Change: I hate You! But still...is now Falling Up. )**  
_

_All I'm going to say…sometimes I am ashamed to be a Jessica…seriously…it's a name the fits in with the tiffany's and Brittany's in the bitchy department. In movies…books…this Fan Fiction for example._

_What was that? Fan Fiction. Yeah, I don't own anything._

_- started a blog...check it out...theres not much on there...but still...i need views! D _

**Alice POV **

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"MUM!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, standing at the foot of the stairs. "You're going to be late for work!!!" I resisted the urge to add 'again' to the end of my sentence. She had been late way more often than not and I knew her boss at the local thrift way was really starting to get annoyed with her, Mum was just lucky that Mr. Robertson has a bit of a thing for her.

I listened out for any sound of my mum having listened to me, any sign that she was even fully conscious. "I'm counting to three and if you're not down here by then I'll come and get you." There was no response so I started my reproachful counting. "One…" Up one step I went, "Two…" Up another, "I'm serious Mum; I'll drag you down if you don't get up, thr-"

A loud groan came from the room upstairs that held my mother. A smirk loomed on my face; _I so know how to control her_.

"Alice!" Mary Brandon, my mother, moaned louder than necessary. "It's unnatural to get up at these un-godly hours." Smiling, I bounced back down the few stairs I had climbed and into our small kitchen, those words had become a saying in the 'all for one, two for all' Brandon residence. Ever since I started actually forcing my mum to get up at the right time and sending her on her way to work in the mornings, like the good little daughter I was.

I poured the hot water into the 'Best Mum in the World' mug for the coffee that would bring mummy dearest back to life. For a moment I let my imagination get away from me and imagined my single parent popping out of a coffin, all green with scars running down the sides of her face, dark, shadowed eyes crazily searching the room, a stained gray, white tattered dress hanging limply from her small frame.

_Well…yeah, that was basically what happened every morning. _Sometimes when it got to the stage where I actually had to go into her room to wake her, and she sprang up like a jack in the box, I've been known to dramatically yell, "_It's ALIVE_!!!"Which, as you can imagine doesn't sit to well with her, and I get such responses as…one: scowling, frowning…two: "Yeah, I'm alive but you wont be soon" and then three: more scowling.

I set the mug down on the kitchen counter for when sleeping beauty finally dragged herself down the stairs, then flipped on the ancient radio to an oldies station. I knew the music usually set her in a better frame of mind after all my yelling at her till she pretty much falls out of bed.

The fifties music had me bopping up and down with the beat as I shoved the bread down into the toaster, before dance stepping and clicking my fingers on my way to the cupboard which held all the spreads.

"I don't get it." A whining voice made me jump slightly, making my hand immediately go to my heart as it jumped into my throat. I spun on my heel quickly, only to see my mum with her uniform carelessly thrown on and her dark hair falling dishevelled in front of her face, which only made the shadows under her eyes more prominent. "How can you be so energetic in the morning? It's not normal."

"What is normal now days?" I replied rhetorically, turning back to the toaster to wait for the bread to brown. "Is normal, a woman that listens to music from the Stone Age but wasn't even alive then normal?" I turned to her, smiling a patronising smile as my fingers tapped away to the scat singing in the background.

"Hey," Mary protested with a sniff. "One: It is not Stone Age music, and two: you're dancing to it, which means you like it!"

"Hey," I quoted with the sniff as well, causing a sarcastic smirk in reply. "It's contagious." I applauded myself silently on my quick thinking.

"-Which, is why it's good." Mum continued, defending her precious likes. "_No one_ can't _not _get drawn into these beats. You_have_ to tap your feet or drum your fingers or something to stay sane if this stuff is playing."

I considered this for a moment, tilting my head to the side. "_Yeah,_" I allowed for just a second. "But mum, haven't you heard? People don't like being controlled anymore." She sent me one of those looks that clearly said, 'Very funny…no really, I'm laughing on the inside…not'. I pressed my lips together tightly to stop myself from giggling at my victory and her not wanting to loose.

"Nuh-ah," Mum protested again. I rolled my eyes at her attempts; she just can't admit that she lost this argument, although I was enjoying this talk. "I wouldn't be so sure about people not liking to be controlled. That style is coming back." She started mouthing out words, trying to find the one that would relate to us. I waited patiently, wanting to see what argument she could think up to defend her pride. Finally she seemed to get it, she snapped her fingers at me "What's her face? Christina something or other."

I sifted through names until the sun finally shone on one name, with a recent song that was made in a fifties style. "Christina Aguilera…?"

"That's the one!" Mary jolted forward in her seat, recognising the name. "How did it go…? 'I met him out at dinner on a Friday night'" I rolled my eyes at her beginning to sing, I knew this was her way of rubbing _her_ victory in my face. "He really had me working up an appetite."

I sighed, resigned, but joined in with her singing anyway. There was no use looking like a sad sack- if you can't beat them, join them. "He had tattoos up and down his arm, there's nothing more dangerous than a boy with charm."

Mum interrupted here with a 'Don't I know it." Which she most certainly did, not that I knew much about her love life- Ew, I don't need to know – but when it came to my dad, charms were dangerous.

I continued on, "It's a one stop shop," I paused for my mum to continue the rest, not actually thinking about what the lyrics were actually saying.

"Makes the pant-" We both stopped what we were doing and looked at each other. "…ies drop." She finished looking a little mortified. I looked away awkwardly, I mean, I hear those kinds of things all the time, but hearing your mum sing something like that…no thanks. "…That song is really rude". Mary mumbled absently.

"Welcome to my generation." I don't think I needed to tell her that lately that isn't even the worst of lyrics.

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People watching. Now there is something interesting to so while you're bored out of your mind. You know, because sitting on a bench waiting for your friends, in the cold, with school ahead of you tends to be boring.

But after five minutes of staring at the monotonous sky of gray, arrived a gossip that always made the funniest faces and actions when she was doing something…which were easily turned into teasing stories if you had a creative mind.

Jessica Stanley, a brainless clone that I bet if she was a super hero would be the 'Nail file wielding biatch!'…seriously, that nail file is her life, stepped out of her car, swung her hair, pathetically trying to do it in slow motion I think…she was probably waiting for the sun to shine through the clouds or something too and land especially on her. Her eyes immediately darted and locked onto Mike Newton, the only potential man candy around that was worth a second glance…no offence Eric.

And another thing about Jessica, she has a one track mind…the attention span of a goldfish…and maybe tunnel vision since she didn't notice that she had to walk right past me and my bench to get to Newton. Jessica walked with her head held high, and she had that really ditsy expression on her face. The one where she's smiling and then she bites her lower lip and looks around all wide eyed like everything is so _wonderful_ and _amazing_…when really, inside that thick skull was a cloud…a big white fluffy cloud…and all that cloud was…is water. Yes if you tipped her upside down, water would pour out of her ears.

An idea formed in my head as she neared closer to me, time to see if she really does have tunnel vision! I searched the ground near the bench for a stick, one that was actually a good size…not twig size. I finally found a good one shaped almost like a sling-shot. I loved ones like that; they were so fun to play with, especially when you found a rubber band to stretch across the prongs…

When Jessica was a little over a metre away I lobbed the stick up in the air, so that it would reach a height that she could definitely see in her peripheral vision. Jessica's eyes didn't even move from where they were targeted! Freaky much…

Jessica continued on her walk, her small heels clacking on the paved ground as she came closer and closer the stick…and then, "Ahh!" I flinched as Jessica's squeal pierced the not so silent quiet…right in front of me…someone she hates…and just happened to trip in front of. "God, Brandon! You tripped me!" Jessica cocked her hip and gave me this appalled look, accusing before she even knew the facts…it was an accident. "You better say sorry."

I stood up, hearing the threat in her voice and not liking it. "Well, maybe if you actually addressed me nicer, I would." I raised my eyebrows, waiting for her to consider the hidden compromise.

Jessica scoffed and flicked her hair over her shoulder, like it was the most stupid thing she had ever heard. "Do I _look_ like a people person?"

I considered whether to answer that or not…get into an argument at the beginning of the day…not a good start…or just let it drop…and don't have any baggage pulling me down the whole day…hmm…

While I was pondering this Jessica made an almost disgusted sound in the back of her throat and stalked off. I guess she made the decision for me; I shrugged and turned back to where the cars were parked, just in time to see the rust covered old beast grumbling its way into a parking spot.

I perked up instantly, pulling my bag higher over my shoulder before springing over to the 'the beast', planning my attack on the leader that controlled the ferocious beast that stroked fear into the much smaller and defenceless cars.

Bella slammed her door shut as I got ready to pounce. She began to turn and I bent my knees. Before she knew what was happening I jumped right in front of her, too close for comfort, making her jump back and let out a high pitched yelp, as her face elongated slightly as all her features widened in surprise.

I started laughing immediately, the image of her expression stuck in my mind. I leaned against the car to steady myself before I fell over with all the oxygen not being able to get in. "You should have _seen_ your _face_!" I choked out in between laughing fits. "It was_hilarious_."

I finally calmed down enough to look up through tear blurred eyes to see that Bella was glaring at me, her hand still placed over her heart. "Yes, well I can see it was hilarious considering your laughing at my expense," Bella spit out, but I could see that there was humour in her eyes, however deep they may be hidden.

"Aw, Bella, chil_lax _would you?" I patted the big red truck beside us and smiled up at her. "Like Old Red, here." Bella rolled her eyes at me, but thinking about the truck reminded me of something that had had me wondering. "Speaking of Old Red, where were you yesterday? I wanted to get a ride home with you, but you didn't turn up in the parking lot after school and your rusted form of transportation was still here."

Bella's eyes widened visibly, her mouth began to gape like a fish, trying to form words…_like_ _she couldn't get the words out to tell me something_. My brows furrowed as this one thought took on a whole new realisation…it wasn't that she _couldn't_ find the words to tell me something…it was that she didn't _want_ to tell me something.

"I…I…I was at the lib- at the library!" Bella practically yelled at me, rushed and hesitant, tell tale signs that she was thinking on the spot.

I nodded, studying her face extremely carefully for any signs that would tell me what she was trying to cover up for. "Really?" I couldn't help but ask dubiously after not being able to find anything in her expressions.

Bella simply nodded, smiling and awkward smile while making a 'mm-hmm' sound. A sharp pain cut through my chest, but instead of releasing a gushing mess of emotion, it only managed to make my chest feel constricted. I turned away quickly, so as not to show the hurt on my face.

I took a deep breath trying to achieve a somewhat level voice, "You're lying," I stated simply, in an uncharacteristically monotone voice.

There was a pause before Bella managed to choke out a surprised, yet frightened, "N-no I'm not." I scoffed, hurt and angry, turning away from her completely. It was bad enough that my best friend was hiding something from me, but worse that after I caught her lying she lies again right to my face…and lies pathetically. Bella let out a defeated sigh from behind me and then there was a hand on my shoulder. "Okay…I am lying," _Oh, now she admits it! Crimes already have been done honey!_

"Why?" I didn't think I wanted to say more that one word at the moment until I got a real reason; I didn't even bother turning back around to face her. Call me childish, I don't care.

Bella hesitated before answering, "I can't tell you just yet," Anger and frustration rushed through my body, as though a dam wall had just broken deep within me, making me let out a frustrated growl, turning to the source of my annoyance. Bella seeing this on my face quickly rushed on. "You should understand that. Not being ready to tell something? Even to your closest friend?" She tilted her head to the side and seemed to be trying to convey her sincerity through her eyes. But it was working; I felt my emotions dwindling down to a stand still. After all she was right, I had kept a secret from her for as long as we had known each other, up until a few weeks ago, and she had been patient.

I breathed a long breath of defeat, "When will you tell me then?" There was a saying that said, 'patience is a virtue'…yeah….that was a virtue I didn't have.

Bella looked away for a second before whispering, almost reluctantly, "Soon," I stared at her for a moment longer, waiting for her to explain further, but a loud, obnoxious horn beeping tore both Bella's and my own attention to the silver Volvo speeding into the parking lot. I rolled my eyes. _Masen…always is trying to make an entrance_. I turned my attention back to Bella, but her eyes were still trained in Masen's direction, but she continued. "I kind of made a promise to someone."

This just made more questions emerge in my head…who else was in on this secret?

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You know what subject I hate? Math….math, math, math, math, math! Every lesson I leave to lunch with a head ache, and it doesn't help that my teacher always gives us a tone of homework, but also that on the next set of desks over, in line with me, sat that idiot imbecile Jasper.

I mean, sure he's tall…and has amazing eyes…clear skin…fare golden blonde…and when he ran his hand through his hair, and it stuck up he looked like a cute little eight year old…not that I _tried_ to notice that stuff… but still, you cant ignore the fact that he accts like he's better than everyone else, and shows off about it and everything. I mean, seriously, does the guy have no self preservation?

Ms. O' Neil was walking around the room, handing back last weeks test. Everyone was slightly on edge as she walked by them, waiting to see what there mark would be, whether there parents would go crazy if they got a bad mark. All for but one person seemed to be reacting this way, but a Mr. Whitlock seemed perfectly at ease as he lazed in his chair, ankles crossed beneath the desk, arms folded over his chest.

Jasper really did have nice biceps…they weren't those freakishly large kind, that- no offence…but looked really ugly at times…but the kind where they stood out when he flexed, but were toned to a really nice- _Look away!_

Jasper turned slowly to look at me…looking at him- okay…I will admit this to myself, and myself only…Ogling him. Jasper smirked, clearly knowing that I had been watching him, not the slab of wall above his head as I tried to make my staring out to be focused on. Even more embarrassingly enough…the tips of my ears were getting hot…Oh god, please no!

Luckily- and not so luckily – Ms. O'Neil walked in between us to hand us our papers from the list. As soon as I got mine and saw the big red C on my paper I let out a sigh. It wasn't that bad…but I had really tried to cram in all this study into one night…so much help that did…its not my fault that Math is interesting…Ms. O'Neil even says that, 'Maths isn't supposed to be fun.' Yeah, got that right.

"Okay, class, get out your text books and anything you got wrong, go through the text book and figure out how it was supposed to be done." Everyone followed the teacher's instructions silently- she tended to have a short fuse – It was silent for a little while, but slowly the muffled whispers started and then there was a quiet murmur of voices filling the room.

I bent my head over my work, trying to make sense of where I had gone wrong in an especially long equation. But my concentration didn't last all that long, someone was making that 'Pssst' noise somewhere. I straightened up, ready to politely ask the person to quieten down, but then a whispered, 'Alice, psst' got my attention. It was coming from Jasper.

As soon as Jasper realised he had got my attention he smiled, and I couldn't help but notice how straight and white and _bright_ his teeth were, it just brightened up his whole face… _No, no, no, Alice…Jasper Whitlock…HIS _TEETH_ ARE _BRIGHTER _THAN HE IS!_

"What did you get on your test?" He 'whisper-yelled', trying to start a conversation. I kept my earlier thoughts on my mind as I answered…_going for sarcastic_…

"Oh, I got a 'T'." _Achieving sarcastic…_

Jasper smiled knowingly, "Yeah, I once got a T too, this time I got a Z."_Receiving sarcasm back…_

I forced a smile, crinkling my eyes to add effect to the 'Ha-ha, your so funny…not' smile I was giving him. I went back to doing work after that, trying my best to concentrate, but I was finding that exceedingly difficult when you could feel piercingly beautiful eyes watching you.

Out of no where a piece of paper was slid on top of my book. I looked at the piece of carefully folded paper, and then up to scan the room to see who it was from. My eyes landed on Jaspers and he nodded for me to read the paper.

A part of me thrilled that _Jasper Whitlock _was sending me notes, but another part of me wasn't wanting to give in so easily, I had morals, I had enough dignity to not faun all over some guy…incredibly attractive guy…no, some guy!

But if the flutters in my stomach, the tightening in my throat or the urge to smile or giggle or _something_ weren't enough hints…I was seriously crushing on someone I shouldn't be.

And I didn't want to get in any deeper than I already was, so with out opening the paper I picked it up and made a show of scrunching the paper up and flicking it to the side. But as soon as I had done it, and seen Jaspers fallen expression I felt absolutely awful.

Why did he and I have to be so different!?

"Ms. Brandon, what did you just throw?" Ms. O'Neil got out of her desk chair and made a bee line to where I sat. I glanced at the scrunched up bit of paper as pain rose in me, I had no idea what the note said…what if she reads it.

"I didn't throw anything Miss." She nodded but picked up the scrunched up piece of paper. I opened my mouth to try and get her to not do what I think she was going to do, but really, what was the point? I didn't even know what it would say.

"Alice," She began an almost evil look on her face. I glanced at Jasper to see him close his eyes in frustration, groaning as he lent back in his chair. It mustn't have been anything that the class would benefit from hearing then…crud. "I know that you have a thing against me, but I would really, really- underline _really, _would like if you would just- underline _think_ about going to the dance with me."

The class laughed at the way the teacher was putting the exaggerations on the words, but when it got to the bit where she said, 'going to the dance with me', I could swear that every one gasped at the same time like in some cartoon. Of course…popular guys asking a lower class mate like me to the dance…now _that_ is news.

But the thing that disturbed me the most about this…I was blushing at what the note said, in front of the whole class…that will go and gossip about it asap.

"Pretty, pretty please, with sugar on top." Ms. O'Neil finished off the letter, causing the class to laugh again at the finishing statement jasper had signed his letter off with…At least he also gets embarrassed.

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I was the first one out of the class room as soon as the bell went. I knew people were probably having a field day at Jaspers note…I mean; it's always been this thing where you socialise with those in your own class, not mix. And then Jasper goes and drops his bombshell.

People were going to be staring, I knew it, and as much as it usually doesn't bother me, today was an exception. People were staring for a completely different reason…They were staring because I was guessing that it would be like some…scandalous affair type thing between me and Jasper. Definitely not the kind of attention I wanted.

The hall ways suddenly seemed much smaller to me, filled with all the students trying to get to lunch, all of them seemed to be looking at me, as if they were all in that class. Even though that isn't possible, I knew soon it was going to be and I wanted to get as far away as possible.

"Alice!" Some one shouted out my name, a voice I couldn't forget even if I wanted to. "Alice, wait up!" I stopped where I was, and turned to face the inevitable with out making a scene.

"What do you _want_?" I put my hands on hips, trying to look bigger than I was…which was minuscule while in jaspers shadow.

Jaspers shoulders dropped and he tilted his head to the side, his forehead crumpled. "Look, I'm sorry, okay." I could feel my face move into shock mode, Jasper Whitlock was apologising to me…for something that wasn't really his fault- well it was, but mine as well. "I didn't mean for you to get embarrassed like that."

I nodded, still miffed that he was going to so much trouble for me…first asking me to the dance- I had to fight the urge to start screaming and jumping here – but then apologizing for something I really did by my stubborn self.

"Yeah, well, you probably did it with out thinking, like most things." I wasn't really paying attention to what I was saying, so the stupid come back was just a reflex. But once I realised what I had said, I shook my head and rushed out a "Sorry, I didn't mean that."

Jasper nodded, looking thoughtful as I watched him warily. I could feel eyes on us, but I wasn't really paying much attention to anything but the fact that he was watching me.

"So will you?" He asked, breaking the moment.

"Will I what?" I hoped that I didn't sound as dazed as I felt, that would be even more embarrassing than the class room incident.

I didn't notice the students around us starting to close in more to hear what Jasper would say, but as soon as the words, "Will you go to the dance with me?" left Jaspers mouth, the hall erupted with amazed talking, and then looking to the right corner, Jaspers friends making hooting sounds and whistling.

Boys disgust me. And the disgust showed on my face, seriously, what was I? I'm not some chick on display, to be violated! God, if only I was taller, I'd show them!

"How about, never?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. "Is never good for you?" I could see Jasper about to argue but then I felt a presence slightly behind me, which drew Jaspers focus away from me.

"Alice," Bella addressed me politely, but was staring at Jasper. "So, what's going on here?" At this she finally looked my way, raising her eyebrows questioningly.

But I didn't get the chance to say anything as Edward Masen sidled up next to Jasper from where had previously been with the mob of idiot boys, answering Bella's question. "Oh, Jasper was just being unfairly rejected by Alice here." Bella raised her eyebrows and turned to me, but I was too preoccupied with what Edward had said. To the others it may have seemed normal…but he didn't call me any names apart from my real name, and he also had said 'unfairly rejected'. What was unfair about it?

"Unfairly rejected? What's unfair about it?" I questioned, truly curious as to what that meant.

"Well," Edward began taking a step forward so that he and Bella were both standing next to each other facing the gap between Jasper and I. "Have you even given Jasper a chance? Have you talked to him, got to know the kind of person he really is?" I was speechless, I knew he was right, but I didn't want to get in to deep with someone like him. I looked to Bella for help, but she was staring up at Edward with a weird expression I would never have thought to seen on her when face to face with Edward. It was almost…in awe.

_Has the world gone topsy turvy?!_

Okay, one thing was still slightly the same…Edward still was being an ass…it seems like he's not on the outside…but he was just being more subtle. What others didn't realise was…he's put me on the spot. What he was saying was right, and if I rejected Jasper, I seem like down right bitch, but if I say yes…I give in and he gets what he wants…as usual.

I sighed, closing my eyes as the frustration rose up like bile, making me want to choke or something. "I hate you," I muttered at Edward. Bella looked at me shocked then back to Edward, clearly waiting for the blows to come. But Edward seemed to surprise everyone, his face hardened immensely and I swear his nostrils flared, but he didn't fire any hurtful remarks back.

"'Hate' is a strong word."

Okay, well the sarcasm was still there, but at least it was something like him calling me some trailer trash kid which I had become accustomed too. "Fine then, I _dislike_ you." Jasper had been quiet through out our whole discussion, and when I turned to him, he looked very uncomfortable watching us talk about him and I with out him. I took a deep breath before starting, even if I seemed like a bitch at least I had a real reason to not go. "Sorry Jasper, I cant go even if I did say yes." Jasper averted his eyes to the ground and the feeling of being a terrible person came back to me. "It's not like I could afford a dress or anything anyway." I muttered, more to myself than anyone else, but I knew it was heard by the immediate people around me.

Bella squeezed my arm, before pulling me away, with one last fleeting look at Edward. I still didn't get those looks she was giving Edward…what was I missing out on? Before we turned the corner I saw Edward pat Jasper on the shoulder shortly before heading back over to his friends, but most importantly…the look of determination take over Jaspers expression. He had something planned…and it was going to revolve around me…I knew it.

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**Since i probably wont get another chapter out closer to Xmas...for those who celebrate Xmas...MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Enjoy your holidays! Have fun with your family- even though they can be crazy sometimes - and get all your last minute christmas shopping done- OH and dont let the carols drive you crazy...i seem to always fall victim to that one...and umm...what else...give lots of HUGS! There the best, being able to feel that sense of closure and protection around you from some one else, it lets you know your not alone.**

** 8D**

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Review please!!!! You guys are great, and there was lots of support in reference to the authors note, thank you for that! I love you guys! - in a non-sual way -

ANyway, ReViEw!!


	13. Sorry

_**IMPORTANT:**_These past two months have really sucked for me as you may know- especially if you've read my blog (oh what a piece of depressing recounting it is.)

Well, hey it gets worse, I don't know when I'll be able to update my stories, and I hate leaving authors notes. If you read Drama's of the Heart, you'd no that I've only ever put up two authors notes and one of them I substituted with a chapter.

But I have to put this up, Things are going to be very hectic and depressing in my house for…a while.

My Grandad (who I've lived with for 9 years straight) died this morning…R.I.P Arthur.K

And, honestly, I will write but I just know that everything is going to….go to blows the next few days.

It's so weird...how something can be there, and then...completely gone the next. This whole thing is just, idk...This is the first time I've had to deal with someone passing

Theres a lot to sort out…like the fact that my WHOLE family isn't even from Australia and we some how need to dig up money to have a funeral in NEW ZEALAND while the person in question is over the ocean.

Anyway, I am really very sorry about this, these past months have just been a whole lot of- excuse my language – shit, one thing after the other.

- Jessica


	14. twelve

**Sorry for the long wait. I've been in New Zealand for the past few weeks and now school is starting back up on Thursday so I've been busy with a lot of stuff.**

**Thanks for all the understanding and support I have gotten from people, if I haven't replied to some of yours, I really do appreciate everything. I tried to get through them all, but there was a lot, which only adds to my appreciations. **

**Song of the Chapter: ****Home by Katharine McPhee. **

Oh, its hard to see beautiful.

Its hard to see beautiful in your eyes

But you make me beautiful, over and over again.

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_When are you going to tell her?_

A pang of guilt lashed across me as I looked at Edwards writing on the paper. When _was_ I going to tell Alice about Edward and I? Edward had been making such an effort to do as I asked. Be nice to Alice, and he had succeeded…to an extent, I knew Alice was angry with him still about the whole, 'putting her on the spot so she had to say yes to Jasper thing'. _Why couldn't she just have said yes and be happy?_

It's because Alice is stubborn, she's a force not to be messed with, and the thing with her, she's not exactly open for other options, she see's what she see's and that's what she believes. And the only thing Alice is seeing at the moment is me keeping my distance as usual from people like Edward and Jasper, same old, same old…although, Alice was giving me weird looks during lunch.

So, it looks like it's either…I tell her about Edward and I…or…Jasper has to convince her as best as he can, which I would much prefer. Hell hath no fury as Alice scorned, if you get me.

I picked up my pencil and put the tip to paper to write back to Edward.

_Soon, okay? I promise…it will all be over and done with soon enough._

I slid the note back across our biology desk, keeping a careful eye on the teacher. I could only imagine the questions and gossip that would arise if the note got read out. _Who does Edward want you tell? What do you need to tell? When and what is soon? What's the promise? What will be done soon enough?_

And what will I have to say? Oh, just that I'm going to kill someone soon enough, and I need to tell the parents to look after the victims dog when the owner dies, that's right people, the Bella Swan you knew is no more! And then I'll swish my cape over my face dramatically and disappear into a puff of smoke.

Sounds like a plan.

Seriously though, it wouldn't be good.

Edward sighing heavily drew me away from my thoughts. It was obvious that Edward wasn't happy about me being slow on the Alice front, just by looking at the impatient twitching of his mouth you could tell...or maybe it's just me that notices he does that.

But as much as I felt guilty for making Edward wait longer than really necessary, this was a big thing in my world; When I tell Alice she has to be able to understand, otherwise, she will just go…berserk. Plus, when everyone finds out that I, Bella Swan, the girl that hates the popular Barbie and ken want to be's, is dating one of the Ken's…Talk is going to be everywhere, and I'm going to hack it tough.

All Edward is going to get is slaps on the back, and "Oh, you finally tamed her," blah, blah, blah. _As if! If anything, _I_ tamed _him

All I know is that if I wanted this whole situation to go over smoothly, Jasper was going to be the key, and by god, that lock that is Alice is going to get unlocked.

The bell rang over head and the class erupted into noise as everyone scraped there chairs to get up and out the door. Edward flipped his backpack onto his shoulder and muttered his 'see you' tightly, clearly still irritated with me.

And the thought of him angry with me actually made me wince, while just a few weeks ago I would have felt very accomplished with that thought.

Edward was out the door before I even had time to get my _very sincere_, _apologetic_ 'sorry, I'll see you later' out of my mouth. Oh well, his fault he misses out on the very rare occurrences.

Gym was the same old, same old. Coach Clapp was watching Mike like a hawk, looking for flying skipping ropes or stray flitting basketballs as he'd been known to do lately in Mike's presence. Emmett was visibly twitching, taking in everything around him he could use to get some entertainment from…probably- okay, very likely- to be used along with Mike. 

And me…well, I don't think we really need to go into Miss. Can-make-human-beings-into-domino's life, its self explanatory.

But I guess having your mind on the setting 'one track' doesn't help knocking over a big pile of oversized and out of shape 'domino's'.

When P.E. was over I rushed to get changed, desperately needing to catch Jasper before he left to get home.

I found Jasper just turning the corner of the cafeteria. I ran to catch up, pulling on his arm to get his attention. Before Jasper had a chance to say anything I began my interrogation. "What are you going to do about Alice?"

Jasper looked sideways, seeming kind of weirded out by my abruptness. "Um," Jasper scratched the back of his head, thinking hard. This only made an annoyance fire inside me.

_Why hadn't he thought about this? Did he not care enough? Put it together man!_

Okay, I knew I was being rash, Jasper was clearly very serious about this, he wouldn't have gone to so much trouble otherwise, but it still annoyed me that he couldn't answer me straight away.

"Well, I have one idea. I think it will work, but I want it to be a surprise." Jasper rushed the last bit.

I rolled my eyes, "I'm not going to _tell_ her." That was just childish.

"I know you wont," Jasper amended. "But I want her to be the one to tell you, then you'll see that I haven't forced her into anything, and she has genuine feelings."

Jasper, just like Edward, was astonishing me more and more with every moment I was around them. So much prejudice, so much things to be proved wrong about.

"Okay, well, she likes bright colours." I offered, and Jasper nodded taking it in. "Especially purples and yellow's." Thinking about the colour purple reminded me of Edward again and his favourite colour, I wonder if it was a genetic thing? Both Alice and Edward liked that colour. "And she likes her boppy type music." I had to roll my eyes at that, anything to get her bouncing _even more_. "And…she's fragile. Just something's get to her, you know? And she has a much better imagination than I do when it comes to wording, so if you don't want your ego crushed, be nice to her. I suggest serious suck-up."

Jasper laughed dryly at that comment, "I will definitely remember that one."

"Good," I nodded awkwardly, standing there in front of Jasper not knowing what else to say. "Well…I better," I pointed in the direction of the parking lot. "Bye," with that said I hurried to my truck.

When I pulled out and got into the line out of the lot, I caught Edwards eye as he was opening his cars drivers side door. He pointed to his eyes then at me, then to his wrist where at watch would be. I tried to get across the message that I didn't understand but then the line moved and Edward was already in his car.

_Oh well, probably just him being still angry with me and saying to hurry up with the lets make us exclusive thing._

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_Knock knock_

I opened the door cautiously, _who would be visiting here? _I peeked my head out before completely opening the door.

"What are you doing here?" Surprise and panic soaked my words as I fully let the door swing open. Someone might see him here!

"Oh, are you not happy to see me?" Edward asked in a childish voice. I stayed quiet, there was no reason to give him a big head by telling him that there was a bubbling in my stomach with him there at my door step. Seeing my still black face Edward hinted, "I told you earlier…in the parking lot."

_Oh, so that's what his attempt at sign language was about._

"Your sign language sucks." I told him bluntly, but moved so I was standing to the side to let Edward pass through the doorway. "So what are you doing here?" I repeated in a much kinder tone.

"Well, I decided to come do my homework here." Edward shrugged nonchalantly, gazing around the very plain and mismatched lounge room. I suddenly felt a strong wave of embarrassment and self-consciousness wash over me, drowning me.

Compared to Edward's house, mine looked like some old abandoned shack in the outback of Australia. It was just another factor that showed just how different Edwards and my own lives were. He was designer and I was…vintage, so to speak. But Edward didn't show any kind of judgement which gave me some relief.

"You came to do your homework with me?" I questioned condescendingly. Edward merely lifted one shoulder and dropped it. I leaned against the wall and tilted me head, studying Edward. "Your excuses are getting weak, Ed. Here I was thinking you were good at making up stuff. You must be pretty desperate to see me." I closed my eyes and shook my head, as though disappointed.

Really though, I was just glad that he wasn't annoyed with me any more.

Edward just smirked, not fazed at all by my teasing. I rolled my eyes at him before turning to where I had dumped my bag at the base of the stairs, before going to sit down on the couch. Edward let his books drop to the floor before taking a seat on the floor, leaning his back on the couch by my legs.

After only a few minutes of silence as we both concentrated on our work I found my self looking at what I could see of Edward's face, distracted.

Involuntarily I studied the part of his face that I could see for what must have been the hundredth time. Was it normal to do this? Just repeatedly take in every detail of the guy you happen to be sort of going out with? My eyes moved to the back of his neck where there were three small freckles together, looking like Mickey Mouse.

I suddenly felt lonely sitting on the couch on my own so I let my self slide over the edge and next to Edward. He turned to me curiously, but I just smiled mysteriously before concentrating back on my work.

Edward started humming a tune. Something familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it at first. From the corner of my eye I could see Edward mouthing words. I grinned to myself, it was easily seen that he was very comfortable here.

I pretend like I didn't notice he was humming to himself, but it was all I could focus on.

"Take me on a journey." he slipped up and started quietly singing to himself, his pen still flitting across his…biology home work. _We had biology homework?_ _"_I've been thinking lately, I could use a little time alone with you." Yes it was definitely a familiar song; one Alice had repeatedly played over and over again at one stage.

"You're singing Jessie _McCartney_?" I couldn't keep the shell shocked sound out of my voice, causing it to come out a little more disgusted sounding than it was supposed to.

Edward just kept working as he said his very casual reply of, "Guess I am." When I was last in his car and looking through his car there wasn't anything even close to J. M sounding there.

"How do you even know the words?"

Edward looked at me then, rolling his eyes. "Mum has had a crush on him since Summerland." At that I just about choked trying to suppress laughter. "It's quite scary actually," Edward's eyes took on a distant look, remembering something that managed to make his grimace. "And since I'm mostly the only one around the house I get to hear all the swooning."

I pressed my lips together tightly and looked down at my palms, my shoulders shaking noticeably with my suppressed laughter. "Well," my voice sounded strangled as I tried to speak as clearly as I could with out giggling. "He is pretty cute." Although I didn't need to mention that it took me till he cut his hair to actually see him that way…I think Alice is right when she says I'm too picky.

Edward's nose wrinkled up at my comment, causing me to smirk. "No," he shook his head, disgusted. "now Jessica Alba, so much better."

"Hey now, you were the one singing his songs." I defended before going onto the subject of Alba. _What did guys see in her anyway? _"Plus, looks aren't everything. You should know that. Look at me! I'm nothing special and look where you are, that's got to mean something."

Edward's forehead creased, his expression taking on one of anger. "Why do you think so low of yourself?"

The question was so unexpected that I just blurted out the first thing that popped into mind. "Because it's the truth." Well it was the second thing, the first thing would have been the defensive 'why do you want to know?'.

Edward's expression cleared and he took on a knowing, and both calculating look. "You know," Edward paused, looking for the right words. "You really aren't as strong as you let everyone see." The way Edward was staring intently into my eyes, probing, seeing me from the inside out got two reactions from me. I felt very vulnerable and weak, as though no matter what this information he could read from my face was going to be used against me. But then there was a more dominating feeling. I felt as though my heart was expanding with every second that past, felt as though it was getting so swollen that my chest could barely contain it…I preferred that feeling, it was one that I definitely would hate loosing.

"And you don't know what some of the guys say about you behind your back, your more appealing to the male population than you realise." There was a look that came into eyes when he said that and I looked down trying to hide my embarrassment.

When I didn't reply Edward let out an exasperated sigh and turned back to the front. I peeked up under my eyelashes to see what he was doing. He was too busy shaking his head in annoyance to notice me. The feeling was still in my chest as I thought about he was making such an effort to make me think otherwise, and that meant more to me than anything.

What I would never admit out loud is that I did find myself believing the look he had given, that there was truth behind that face…only a little bit though.

I leant over to place a soft kiss on his check, closing my eyes as I whispered earnestly against his check, "Thank you for trying." I moved away slowly, reopening my eyes. Edward stared at me and I smiled a small thankful smile and stared back down at my text books.

"Crazy, lets do something maybe," Edward started singing quietly again, but I could feel his watchful eye on my face and the words seemed to take on a more intentional meaning. "Please don't take your time, yo-"

I covered his mouth with my hand, cutting him off. "You, Edward Masen," I took my hand away from his mouth and instead rested it on his cheek, "Are so lame," I laughed, before reaching forward to press my lips against his.

Edwards hand found its way to the small of my back while the other went to the nape of my neck, pulling me closer. My other hand went to his face also, my thumb rubbing over the smooth skin over his cheek bones.

"Edward," I breathed when our lips separated for a second, feeling Edward shiver slightly at the sound.

"Yeah?" Edward answered back breathlessly, raggedly.

I had no idea what I was going to say, no clear reason as to why I had said his name. Maybe it was the passion that I could feel passed between us, the electricity crackling in the air around us, the feeling that there were only the two of us in the world at that moment.

"Nothing," I wasn't sure, and after that I didn't care. It was nice to not have any other things clouding my mind except what was right in front of me, and that I didn't mind at all.

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**Song of the Chapter: ****Home by Katharine McPhee. **

Oh, its hard to see beautiful.

Its hard to see beautiful in your own eyes

But you make me beautiful, over and over again.

**Notes:**

**-People have asked about an EPOV, and I have thought about it. But since there are so many parts that people would like to see in Edward's POV I thought I would do an Extra's at the end of the story. Not whole chapters, but just sections.**

**- There will be only one other Chapter in Alice's POV and that's it most likely. Her mini story is short so it shouldn't be more than one chapter more. Which I think will be the next chapter. Oh and I do prefer Bella's POV don't worry, it will be pretty much ALL her story, exception of Alice's two chappies.**

**-On my poll for 'Have you ever searched 'Edward Cullen' in IMDB before this point and found there actually was one?' I will close it soon, so if you haven't voted, do so now.**

**-Oh, and sorry for the Jesse McCartney reference, the song was playing on Disney Channel and it just reminded me of this stories Edward, and his personality sorta with a twist. But whatever, I don't usually like putting lyrics in it, but I hope I put it in a certain way for it not to be annoying.**


	15. thirteen

**Sorry people for the wait- as you can tell, this story has very a many sub plots and I've spent the past few weeks trying to figure them all out. I THINK I have come to an almost understanding of where I want to go so….****FINGERS CROSSED!**

**I decided to do both Bella's and Alice's POVs since I know, a lot of people wont want to read a whole chapter of Alice- our fav pair is ExB, I'm right there with you.**

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_Bella's Point of Veiw_

Edward left about fifteen minutes before Charlie got home- not that he wanted to leave…or I wanted him to leave…but I thought the Charlie coming home to find a boy and his only daughter alone in the house would be to much for him to handle…it was almost to much for _me_ to handle!

I mean, who would have thought? Me, Bella Swan…with a boyfriend…ish thing. 'Boy friend' wasn't the correct term….yet…but what else was there to call it?

"So where's Alice now days? Haven't seen her in a while," Charlie asked across the table, cutting through the silence, cutting off my own ponderings.

"Oh- um," _Alice, right, yeah I'm kind of lying to her…beating round the bushes… _"She's been busy, you know?"

Charlie laughed once, averting his eyes to his bowl of spaghetti as the awkwardness took over. "Yeah, she and Mary always the hard working type."

I nodded knowingly, feeling out of place. "You know I'm chaperoning your school dance right?"

This got my attention. "Are you serious?" I asked in alarm, having your dad drive you around in a police car for over half your life was one thing, having your dad…the chief of police chaperoning your school dance was another!...Not that I was going…

Charlie nodded, "Yeah, they asked me yesterday morning." _And he waits till now to tell me. _"Hey," Dads reproachful tone drew me back into the reality of the situation. "Do you think…that maybe-you know," Charlie started getting pinker in the face and I could swear there was a sheen of sweat on his forehead.

His stuttering was getting old, and my curiosity was definitely getting the better of me. "Just spit it out Dad."

Charlie went pinker and rushed out, "Do you think that Alice's mum would like to accompany me?" It took me a few seconds to understand the gibberish, but very quickly it all came rushing into English.

"Mary? Like- like a date sort of?" I questioned, desperately needing to clarify what he meant before I got all excited.

I swear I could see a tick in his temple as he was changing from pink to purple in seconds- how fun. "_No_," he stressed. "Like two adults having a night away from our jobs."

"Together though," I added, a smile breaking out on my face. Was this the great new beginning that I had been hoping for? Alice and I could end up sisters!

…If she would still talk to me…_Gah! Stupid negative mind can't let me be happy for one single damn second._

I stood up from the table and went and plugged the phone off the hook, dialling Alice's number quickly. After the first ring Alice picked up.

"Hey Alice, is your mother home?"

There was a pause. "Why do you want to talk to mother dearest…?" Alice asked, suspicion hanging on every word.

"Its not me that wants to…Father dearest is the one wanting to _ask_ her something?" I stressed the word ask, hoping that she would get the hint, while winking over at Charlie as he started shaking his head and making motions in front of his neck.

"Really, really, really, really…really?" Alice definitely got the hint.

"_Really,_" I responded, knowing there was going to be a squeal of some sort I began inching the phone away from my ear.

"OH MY GOSH! MUM!! Someone's on the phone for you!" She sang in a sing-song voice. I quickly started pushing the phone at Charlie but he pushed it away. I tried again, pressing it to his ear but he flinched away.

_This was getting frustrating- wasn't I supposed to be the teenager here?_

"Hello?...Anyone there?" Mary's voice was faintly heard through the phone and Charlie freaked out even more, sitting right away from the phone like it was poison.

I cleared my throat and looking meaningfully at Charlie as I brought the receiver to my face. I opened my mouth to speak…as best I could as a man. And that's when Charlie lurched forward and snatched the phone away.

I stared at my hand for a second longer that necessary…that man had quick reflexes! It was there and then it's gone!

Charlie cleared is throat nervously, "Uh, Mary, you there?"

I could tell this was going to be hard for Charlie- it would be hard for me to do, having someone breathing down your neck all the while. I backed out of the room sitting down in front of the TV, trying not to listen in, the corners of my mouth twitching with excitement.

Five anxious minutes later Charlie came out of the kitchen and I stood up with an expectant expression. "So…"

"She said yes," Charlie kept a serious expression as I beamed up at him, but it soon vanished as he continued to stare me down, arms folded. "And for doing that you are definitely coming to that dance."

My jaw dropped, "I was doing you a favour!" But Charlie ignored me, turning away to go up the stairs. But I swear I could see his check lifted in a smile.

How often does Charlie smile? Not very…

It was so worth it.

…I wonder if Edward would be going too…

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_Alice's Point of Veiw_

I could _not_ stop jumping, this was too exciting, amazing, wonderful, _everything_ rolled into one!!

As soon as I heard mum mutter a shy goodbye I ran in jumped at her, arms wide open. Mum fell into them and then we were jumping together like a couple of clowns.

"Are you excited?! I'm excited!" Mary screamed, covering her mouth with he hands as she tried not to smile to big.

"Ah! Yes! What are you going to wear? Wait, where are you going anyway?" I stopped jumping before I got a headache but I was still rocking back and forth on my heels and toes.

"To your school dance on Friday."

My smile faltered. The school dance on Friday…tomorrow. "Parents are invited too?" I was confused, why would Charlie be taking her to a high school occasion…That's not very romantic…

"Oh no, he's the chaperone and asked me to accompany him." Mum twirled away from me and let herself drop onto the old sofa breezily.

"Well, that's not all that romantic." I commented, more to myself. Mum looked at me sharply a shook her head disapprovingly.

"Alice, think of Bella, she's not much of a touchy feel-y person either, now just think of the male equivalent from which she got it. It is a big thing." That was true, Charlie wasn't the type of person to be all declaring about his love for someone through expensive restaurants, he was simple, like Bella. "Plus," Mary continued, standing up again. "It does give me an excuse to get all dressed up!"

"Ah, that _is_ true." I agreed.

"Yeah," Mum's face dropped suddenly, losing the glow that had surrounded her just a second before. "I guess I'll have to go try and scrap something up from my closet…"

I shook my head in protest, trying to get a word in but mum continued. "Or maybe I could make a whole new dress out of-"

"Mum!" Mary jumped, eyes widening as I yelled to cut her off. "Mum," I began in a softer tone, tilting my head and trying to look meaningful. "How often do you get to do something like this? You have a date and it's to a dance, it's like going back in time! You _deserve_ to go out, to not worry about money and just buy whatever you need."

Mary's eyes lightened, nodding slightly as a smile started coming into the light, but then it all disappeared and she shook her head. "Alice, it's too hard, we can't risk falling into debt. I'll just make it…" I frowned and mum catching it added, "Cinderella did it?"

"Cinderella is so over-rated."

"Alice"

"Okay, we'll compromise. You can go op-shopping; find something nice for tomorrow night, not something expensive like you _should_, but something that you can get for half the price. Deal?"

I could see her going over it all in her head. I know how much she would love to just be able to go to the shops and buy whatever she wanted with out having to worry about if she would be able to pay the next bill; she needed to have one special day where she would be made to feel like a princess.

Cinderella wasn't _that_ over-rated.

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I was excited to get home that Friday. Mum had a morning shift so afterwards she promised me that she would go look for a dress. I couldn't wait to see it! And I got to do her make-up!

That was a big plus; Bella wasn't a make-up person so it was a rare day when I got to even touch the stuff.

I opened the front door, dropping my bag and yelling out for mum. I ran into the small kitchen, but she wasn't there.

"Alice?" _Who else? _Mum's voice came from upstairs. I walked to the foot of the stairs as mum thumped half way down to meet me. She had an urgent and excited look on her face as she motioned for me to come up. "Come see," She grabbed hold of my arm and practically dragged me up to the second floor. _This must be some dress._

But instead of heading to the left towards her room she moved in the direction of _my _room. _What the? Why'd she put her things in my room?_

She pushed the door open and shoved me over to the bed. My eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as my sights landed on the dress spread out over my bed.

It wasn't some magnificent ball gown that would brush along the floor- the opposite actually, it would probably be about thigh high, but all the same it wasn't made out of some dodgy material, it was worth quite a bit.

"Did you…?" I trailed off, not quite managing a complete sentence…she had better have not spent money on _me_ instead of herself.

"No, it arrived just after I got home…There's a note- I didn't read it." Her words barely resisted in my mind as my eyes scanned the bed for the note, I had a feeling. My eyes landed on an envelope with my name written elegantly across it. "Oh Alice, I don't care who sent it, that dress will look so cute on you. You have to wear it."

I opened the envelope quickly, my mothers words merely a noise in the background.

_Dear Alice,_

_Even if it's not for me that you wear this dress_

_tonight, you still deserve a night to shine and show the_

_world just what a beautiful star you really are._

_Don't let reputation hold you back from being what you are, you're above that, you were born to shine, and tonight you will…_

_Especially in my eyes._

_Yours sincerely, Jasper Whitlock._

My hand went to my mouth as a familiar sting prickled at the corners of my eyes, my breathing coming out in short gasps as emotion took hold of me.

"Alice?"

He…he did…he did this for me? "I can't believe…" the prickling became more intense and the first teardrops spilled down, lining my eyes and making my vision go blurry.

"Can't believe what? Alice, who was it from?" Mum put a hand on my shoulder, squeezing reassuringly.

I reached out with a shaky hand and pressed my finger tips to the material, feeling the silkiness of it…the expensiveness.

"You should go start getting ready Mum" I told her, sounding dazed even to myself. "I'll be there in a second." From my peripheral vision I could see her nod and back out of the room, her eyes on me all the while as I stared in awe at the dress.

I picked up the cordless and dialled Bella's number off by heart. If there was someone that I could talk to about this it would be Bella.

As soon as I heard Bella's voice I asked, "Do you know what just arrived at my house?" I was still in to much…-I don't know what- shock? To care about the fact that I sounded very breezy and…lovesick-ish?

"Alice, is that you? What arrived for you?" I glanced again at the dress, my throat closing up yet again. "…Alice?"

"A dress…he got me a dress," As the words came out, things started becoming my clear, more certain and an excitement bubbled up in me, he _bought_ me a _dress_!

"Who got you- Jasper? Jasper got you a dress for the dance?"

"Yeah," my eyes feel on the shoe box that was sitting by my pillow, I lifted the lid carefully and was met with a pair of stunning high heels matching the dress. "Oh god, and shoes!"

A tear spilled over the edge and ran down the length of my cheek. I sat down on the bed trying to collect my self…it was just so…thoughtful and…he was willing to do this for me…_me_.

"Are you serious? Describe the dress to me!"

I swallowed as I stared at the dress once more. "Well…its strapless…and goes to about my thigh…it's gold and shiny in the light…and it has an in-built belt with rhinestones…simple…but it means a lot. The shoes are the same colour with rhinestones as well…"

Bella was silent for a while, my breathing was heavy as I tried to get over all the emotion. "Wow," Bella finally summed up.

"I know, wow." I picked up the note again and re read it. It was so much more than that.

"…Are you going to wear it tonight?"

This question caught me off guard. _Was I going to wear it…for him? Was I going to even go? _"I wasn't going to go to the dance remember." But my feelings had drastically changed since then…I felt that I owed Jasper, how could I not?

"Well, I'm being forced to go so you might as well." _She was being forced?_

I didn't need much convincing, "Okay then, I'll go. See you there?"

"Most definitely, see you soon."

After we hung up I sat on the bed for another minute. I had considered reading the note out to Bella, but I felt a strange twinge at the thought of sharing something so…about me, with any one else, it was for me, and I felt a kind of possessiveness about it. Standing up from the bed, I put the phone back on the hook before going to mums room. When I entered Mum was trying to pin the plaits she had made to the back of her head.

"Let me do that," I interrupted, seeing what she was trying to do. "So where's this dress of your's?"I could feel her curious stare on me through the mirror so I tried to distract her; this moment was first and foremost hers.

"Oh, it's hanging up behind the door." _Distraction definitely worked_. "I think it was a good choice, pretty but still acceptable for a mother to be wearing don't you think?"

I plucked the hangar off the hook on the door and admired the dress. It wasn't anything to spectacular but it had a charm about it, it was a kind of blue gypsy dress, with lots of layering of the skirt area, tight around the bust with the corset type strings running down the length and tying at the hips.

"Very acceptable," I agreed, smiling appreciatively before going back to fixing up her hair. We left her side fringe down and made small plaits with some of the hair on the side of her head, pulling them back and tying them together, leaving the rest of her dark hair hanging down.

When Mum was all done, she was absolutely glowing, a new light on her, so happy…

"Mum," she turned away from the mirror at the call of her name. "Do you think you could me get ready now too?" I asked shyly, blushing as a very sly smile came onto her face.

_It should _really_ be illegal for mothers to use that look._

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**Not the best chapter, filler-ish- ALL THE ACTION IS IN NEXT CHAPTER! Ah, I can't wait!!! Can you? Nuh-uh, should be good!**

**-I think there will be more Alice, but it will be mostly Bella.**

**- Pictures will be in profile….**

**- Hope you enjoyed! I've already started writing next chapter, I'm too excited! I Hope it turns out good!!**


	16. fourteen

**PICTURES IN PROFILE! Check it out before reading.**

**(Um, I go to an all girl's school, ugly uniforms and all, and we HAVE to wear black leather school shoes…so yeah…you'll get it…and also we don't have school dances or anything- we have ONE formal, prom whatever you want to call it, so I really don't know all that much about this stuff…but who cares?! My story!)**

* * *

_Bella's Point of View:_**  
**

Do you know that my dad could be considered even more stubborn than me? And I'm _annoyingly_ stubborn, but I swear, Charlie is just…UGH worthy. And it was all over the type of shoe to wear!

I said leather, he said sneakers. I said leather looks better; he said they look like school shoes. He says sneakers are more comfortable and I say 'I don't care'.

I think I was turning into some bossy mother to a child that never wanted to take a bath…_That's just wonderful!_

But we finally got out into the car, after agreeing he wouldn't have to wear the leather shoes as long as he wore tennis shoes which looked way better than his shabby old sneakers that have been treaded through mud.

We were going to go pick up both Alice and Mary so we could all go together, I was less angry about being forced to go now that Alice was going to be there, maybe I wouldn't be bored out of my mind tonight like I had originally thought.

Charlie slowed down as their small house came into view. When the car came to a stop I saw Charlies hand moving towards the car horn and immediately knew what he was planning on. I lurched forward and grabbed onto his wrist. "Dad, don't you dear touch that horn." He gave me a look and I pointed up to the porch. "Go ring the doorbell like a gentleman should."

Charlie sighed, exasperated before reluctantly opening his door and trudging up the path way.

_Geez man! See, this is what being a couch potato does to you, all things even remotely chivalrous just goes down the drain._

Almost immediately after the bell rang, the door was yanked open, revealing both Alice and Mary Brandon. I could see Charlie step back a little, his hands fumbling at his sides- he was definitely impressed… _This is so great._

Alice smiled and came over to the car as Charlie and Mary exchanged small talk. I opened the door and jumped out before Alice could get here. "Alice, you look amazing!" It was so true too. She was decked out to the nines, with the heels, the dress, the hair, the make-up; she'd done a fantastic job.

Alice let her jaw drop dramatically, "What about you?" she asked, getting the attention off her self and making me go a shade darker. "Bella Swan, in a dress! I don't believe it! _I think I'm going to faint_."

Yes, Bella Swan in a dress was rare- extremely rare. In fact I only had one other dress and it was from when I was little. The only reason I even had this dress was because my mother had sent it a few years ago, a few sizes too big in the…chestal region. Only recently had I actually grown into it- _thank god_.

It was a dark blue number, strapless, and had a belt buckle type thing under the bust…It was so out of my league.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." I replied breezily to her teasing. "I do actually try to look nice sometimes you know." That was true also, I had had my hair in tight plaits all day trying to get it to go wavy…it had…to an extent, let's just say there was _a lot_ of mousse involved.

"Yeah, I can tell. You even pinned your fringe back in a bob, you never do that! I _told_ you it would suit you, but you never listen to me." Alice shook her head disapprovingly.

Charlie and Mary got to the car then- thankfully, Charlie opened the passenger side door for her.

Alice and I followed, sitting in the back seat of the cruiser; the _police_cruiser. It was quiet so I decided to speak out loud what was running through my head.

"Well, its no hummer, but I guess no one else can say they arrived in a police car."

Mary laughed from the front seat, turning around in her seat to face us. "Yeah, but there might be some leaving in one by the end of the night."

Alice rolled her eyes but smiled anyway, "You hear that Charlie, no slacking off alright."

"That's right dad, you got to keep the kids in _line_." I added, furthering Dad's embarrassment.

Charlie pulled into the school parking lot. "Yeah, yeah, don't you worry; the only kids going home in a police cruiser are you two."

"Are you saying we're going to do something bad?" I asked, faking appalled. Charlie turned around and gave me a look, raising his eye brows. I wasn't really sure what I was supposed to say or do so I lowered my eyes and murmured, "Are we going to get out or what?"

That's another annoying thing about driving places with your dad- a police man, you sit in the backseat and you cant get out yourself, you have to wait for the driver to let you out- no escaping from evil dad looks.

Alice snorted, trying not laugh at my very visible awkwardness.

Alice and I walked into the gym together, behind Charlie and Mary who were walking a foot apart away from each other, which I'd like to point out I was frowning at. The good thing was that Alice and I could see those glances at one another, especially when their hands brushed accidentally and they jumped about a foot in the air, both clearing their throats and looking in the opposite direction of the other. It's like they were afraid of each other….how sweet!

The music was blaring from the gym, thrumming, the lights flashing from all different areas of the room. Charlie and Mary went off to one end of the room where the tables were while Alice and I stood together, scanning over the room. This was after all, the first dance we had actually gone to.

My eyes ran over the people dancing- well…it was more like a mixture of bobbing, jumping and awkward arm movements…but what was I supposed to know? I sighed and turned to Alice, my hands on my hips, no _matter what, this was going to be a long night._

Alice seemed to be impersonating a deer in the headlights, staring stricken towards the opposite corner of the room where a group of guys and girls stood- popular guys and girls. Edward was there, talking to Mike it seemed.

Alice grabbed onto my arm and started yanking me behind a big group of sophomores who were chatting animatedly. "Ow, Alice!"

"Wh-what do I do?" The panic in her tone alerted me. I stretched to try and see through the gaps in the crowd, Jasper was standing to the side of his group of friends, his eyes every few seconds going back to the entrance of the gym…for her.

This was my chance; it was Edward's and my own chance, Jasper and Alice's chance. "I say you go and talk to him."

"But- but he's, it's, I don't know. He's….Jasper." She sighed, her shoulders drooping, a look of despair coming over her.

"Alice," I addressed her firmly. "I know this is what you want, you should give it a chance, give _Jasper_ a chance. Don't worry about what _any_ body else thinks remember? This is about _you_."

Alice's face softened, "You're a great friend Bella." Well…she gave in quickly…

"You'd do the same for me," I said lightly. _I hope, even if it involved someone that came from the cause of a lot of your family's pain._

She smiled, at began straightening out her dress, she folded her arms self consciously. "Alice, stop fiddling, you have _nothing_ to worry about."

She nodded, swallowing convulsively, "Okay," she didn't make any movement to start moving. I rolled my eyes and started nudging her into the open, right where she would be seen.

We got into the middle of the gym, and Alice spun around to face me, the panic clear in her face. I absently wondered how in the world she could spin around so fast in those heels…I was walking like granny in my shoes and they weren't even that high! Stupid Charlie making me come here…

"Oh god Bella, what am I going to _say_?"

"Alice, Al…_relax_…you'll know what to say when you need to." I looked over her shoulder to see Jasper staring at us, slapping Edward on the arm to get his attention. Edward looked up at his friend, then turning to what had caught his attention.

Edward stared at me, his eyes appraising me. I slid my sights back to Alice, feeling extremely self-conscious, who was still watching me desperately. I turned her around slowly to face Jaspers direction.

Her shoulders went stock still as she and Jasper locked gazes- I could only imagine what was going through their heads, Alice looked amazing, Jasper looked especially fine and they so dug each other…actually…there probably wasn't a lot going through their heads at all.

Alice nodded towards the back entrance to the gym, it wasn't used that often but I bet the view out there right now would be beautiful. There was a bench there that faced out to the sky, framed by the tops of trees.

Alice left in that direction with out a word, Jasper following as though on a leash…_That's my girl._

I smiled slightly, things were finally going in the right direction…except now I was on my own in a crowd of teenagers I usually don't associate with that often, I thought feeling the annoyance setting in…again. Stupid Charlie…

_Time to go be a wallflower!_

I sighed heavily; making for the wall where the rest of the girls lined up just waiting to be picked up by some guy…god this was typical. Why do teenagers have to be so…'follow-the-crowd'? Especially girls, when they don't have someone they go and sit against the wall as though they're not worthy enough to share the same dance floor…_have people not heard of having fun with their friends?_**(That really annoys me when I see that IN REAL LIFE) **

The _only_ reason I was standing here was that there was nothing better to do, and I was definitely not looking to be picked up.

I gazed out at the dancing sea, not really seeing but everything just a blur that didn't register in my mind. Why did people enjoy these things again?

I felt the presence of someone come and lean against the wall next to me but I didn't bother to turn, the music was getting more slow and romantic and people were dropping off and on. The person beside me made a movement, so that they were on their side facing me. "So…gone crazy yet?"

I smirked at the question, turning my head slightly so I could see Edward properly, not just from my peripheral vision. "Ah, you know, I'm getting there."

"Well,_maybe_ I can help make the craziness stay at bay for a while longer." Edward offered, grinning as he stood up straighter and stepped in front of me.

"_Really?_ And how exactly would you do that Mr. Masen?" I stepped forward as well, staring Edward straight in the face.

He gave me a shocked look, as though the answer was obvious. "Why, would you like to dance Ms. Swan?" He stepped back a bit and held out his hand to me, palm up, offering.

I stopped teasing, mortified beyond belief, stepping back to the wall. Dancing was definitely not in the agenda. I cleared my throat and looked to the floor, a feeling of discomfort overcoming me.

Edward frowned down at me, clearly reading my face. _Why did my face have to be so expressionistic? _ "What's wrong?"

_Lie, lie, lie… and lie._ "You do know that my dad is here, right?" Okay, so not lies…avoid the question…

The statement was true of course, I wasn't exactly sure that the meaning of 'he's protective when it comes to boys' was true or not though. I looked over to where Dad was sitting, watching as Mary frivolously tugged at his arm trying to get him to dance and out of his seat.

Edward followed my gaze, biting his lower lip as he nodded. I wondered idly what he thought about seeing Mary…she was after all the woman his father had an affair with, ouch huh? "Hold on a second," Edward started walking in the chaperones direction before I could even ask why.

_Oh dear lord, what was he doing?_

I quickly followed. No way was I missing out on what was going on…well…I kind of had to shuffle there, I was clueless to the whole running in heels thing, and even shuffling had me going off balance.

Edward stopped to the side of Mary and Charlie. "Excuse me, Mr. Swan?" I heard him interrupt politely as I caught up, sliding to a stop next to Edward. Mary stopped trying to coax Charlie into dancing and straightened up at the sight of Edward.

Edwards's eyes slid over to her and I could see his face tighten, his expression grow harder and he swallowed and put his focus back on Charlie. This was the woman who had caused himself and his mother pain for their fathers mistake…it would be hard to not blame Mary for most of it…especially when you don't want your dad to be to blame.

Not to be cliché or anything…but you could cut the tension in the air between them with a knife…Talk about _Awk-ward._

Charlie stood up, straightening his shirt. "What can I do you for?" Dad glanced at me questioningly and I just shrugged- I _wish _I had a clue.

Edward cleared his throat; obviously his mind was else where and was only now recovering it. "I was wondering if it would be okay for me to dance with your daughter."

_What?!_My jaw dropped…literally. He asked my _Dad_ for _permission to dance with me_, what century are we in anyway?

"Oh…umm," Charlie blinked twice, clearly as dumbfounded as I was and at a loss for words. Mary hung her head but I swear she was smirking, at what I'm not sure but I bet the looks on us Swan's faces were bizarre. Charlie exhaled, rubbing his forehead while Edward waited patiently, an expectant look on his face.

Part of me was hoping that Charlie would say 'no' so I got out of dancing, the other part of me was screaming, 'Edward, get that over confident look off your face or he will think you're a jerk!', I did want Charlies approval…But what convinced him was not what I was expecting.

Mary nudged Charlie in the ribs playfully, grabbing his attention. "Go on Charlie," she smiled, appraising Edward. "He's a good kid, brought up by a great woman." She remarked earnestly, her expression meaningful.

I think my jaw was really going to fall off now. Edward studied Mary critically, searching for the meanings behind her words- I hope he saw what she meant.

She was sorry for what the affair did to her family, not sorry for having Alice, but sorry that his dad, the father or her own child had put his own family through this…and that Edwards's mother was someone to be proud of for putting up with it all. Her eyes said it all.

Edward finally nodded, accepting I think…I hope. All I know is that afterward he didn't look nearly as made of stone as he had before, things would never be perfect…but it was a very small start.

Charlie glanced at me again, but I was too lost in my own thoughts to realise he was looking for how I felt on the matter of dancing with him. "Um, I'm sure she'd love to." Charlies gruff and awkward agreement made me snap back into reality, I had to dance now!

My nose screwed up as Edward took hold of my hand and began leading me to where everyone was dancing. I spun back around, still being pulled and hissed at Charlie, "I can't dance!" Mary laughed- _That's where Alice gets her evilness from! _And Charlie- being the little follower he is, went along with her laughter, shrugging at me! _Why did Mary's personality have to be It's like damn yawning!_

I let Edward take us to a more secluded part of the gymnasium- that was a plus. _Now is where the confession comes…_

He pulled me in close to his chest, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. I had _no _idea what I was doing…I looked around the gym at the other couples- oh god…couple, is that what we are? – looking for some hint at to how this whole thing worked. I get the arms thing…just the feet….some people are shuffling from side to side…others are stepping…how do they know what to do?

_Shuffle or step…or sway on the spot!?...Why, Jessica and Mike, did you have to make me realise there was swaying to add to the list of worries? …What direction?_

"Edward," I said reproachfully. He made an 'hmm' noise in response, wrapping his arms around my waist. "I can't dance. _Really_ can't dance, no joke."

He smiled at me reassuringly, promise and an asking of trust in his eyes. "It's all in the leading Bella, I swear."

I nodded, what else was I supposed to do? Tell him that I had no idea how 'the leading' worked? How was I supposed to no when he was going to step? ...Or shuffle….or _sway_?

He knew I wasn't one hundred percent sure so he stepped back a little, keeping his hands on my waist and looked down at our feet. I curled my toes, self-conscious, feeling my face heat. Feet were so…_ugly_, and he was staring. "I would say stand on my feet but those shoes look pointy."

_Finally!_ Someone who shares my opinion, pointy heeled shoes equals a big NO. "I don't mind taking them off!" I bent down and undid the straps. Who gives if people see me with bare feet, they were going to stare anyway…Bella Swan and Edward Masen…good god.

Dread washed through me…Was this us going exclusive?

I kicked the wretched shoes to the wall and went back to Edward, so happy to finally not have my feet at a strange angle. Edward chuckled lightly, the sound resounding in my ears. I never realised how much I liked his laugh…it was so…promising and secure. I don't know, it was hard to explain the feelings it gave me. "Eager to dance with me, are you?"

"Ha, ha," I faked dryly. "I'm just happy to have those," I glared at the shoes, thinking of a good name for them, basically: They sucked. "Death traps off." Edward pulled my arms back around him, nodding slowly as he stared into my eyes, his green orbs seeming to see more of me than was at the surface.

He lifted me up enough to slide his feet underneath my bare ones, I could feel the cool material of his shoes beneath my toes.

Edward moved us to the steady rhythm of the music, nothing extravagant thank goodness, and I slowly began to feel myself loosed up a little, even feel the tug of smile every time we caught eyes.

I could see people staring and whispering as they saw us, but it really wasn't as bad as I had feared, there was no stopping of everything, mobs of people surrounding us and gossiping…Well…the gossiping couldn't be helped, but I decided that even if dancing wasn't something I liked…make the most of what you got, you know? When life gives you lemons…

I stopped staring over Edwards shoulder to see what the reactions would be. If _I_ could handle it- and believe me, I am way more shocked that this is happening than anyone else- everyone else could too.

I wasn't really sure how long Edward lugged me around, the songs all kind of blended together; love songs were all the same after a while, but at this moment I was locked in a staring contest and nothing but the colour green meant anything to me.

Edward tilted his head slightly and without realising what I was doing I adjusted my head with him…like a magnet. I found myself searching in his eyes for something, I wasn't sure what exactly. It didn't really matter; thinking was just a distraction from what's really there.

The rest of the sound in the echoing room seemed to be cut off, like there were cotton balls in my ears; everything was just a drone that wasn't worth anything, but the energy around us.

I could feel it, the electricity charging in the air, tugging at my insides and leaving me with a longing to be closer. This was worth something.

"I think I'm going to have to kiss you now." He murmured softly, his voice soft, seeming to melt into the muted moment.

I nodded numbly. I knew what that would mean somewhere in my sub-conscious; it would _really_ be sealing the social deal.

But I had decided a while ago that no troubled or worried thinking was to be done. Besides…better now than never, right? It was a perfect moment…I closed my eyes.

The lighting, the music, we were both looking nice…

His lips touched mine softly, as light as a feather brushing across my skin. It was brief and sweet, enough to make my skin break out in bumps as a small shiver pass through.

The sound came flooding back in, but the current pulsing in the air between the two of us didn't, it was there, thrumming. I let myself fall into the spring grass green but tried not to loose myself completely. "So," I started softly, biting my lower lip shyly. "Have your feet gone numb yet?"

Edward blinked at the random question and laughed softly, shaking his head as he tightened his arms around me. His forehead touched mine and he grinned, "You're worth it."

I smirked, but kept my expression soft. "Good," came my sarcastic reply. I pecked him on the cheek-

And that's when I heard it…The gasp that alerted me to the fact that there _were_ other people to be thought of.

"Bella? Wh-what are…"

And that's when all hell broke loose…well…what _I_ consider to be hell anyway.

* * *

_I don't know why, but I liked her having bare feet…that's just me, I think it brought something raw and…strangely enough, magical to the moment. Like…with some religious and sacred stuff you have to go bare feet…and it just gave me that feeling as I wrote it, it was special._

_(Imagine: Bella in her dress, brown hair cascading down her back, Edward all dressed up nice holding her tightly and then Edward with Bella standing on his shoes barefooted as they stare at one another…its so….innocent…)_

_I thought I'd leave Alice and Jaspers story up to your imagination- it just seemed that theirs should be a secret and more something to TELL about rather than see it first hand…leave some mystery you know…People like Bella's POV better anyway, and I've been getting complaints about it from some, so… I'm just trying to accommodate readers as much as possible, it's the peoples story after all, if I think about it…I don't do this so much for myself, I do it for the readers enjoyment. As much as I find it entertaining and am enjoying the story myself, and I get good practise with writing and all that, it is a very 'in need of commitment' job and does take up a lot of time._

**Hope you enjoyed! Didn't turn out how I had hoped but i hope it will satisfy!  
**

**Reviews are appreciated! WE'RE ALMOST TO 1000- I'm so proud of you all!!!!!!**


	17. Fifteen

And that's when I heard it…The gasp that alerted me to the fact that there were other people to be thought of

**THANKS FOR REVIEWS PEOPLE! YOU ROCK MY LAME-O-ZOID SOCKS OFF! ****XD**

**Recap:**And that's when I heard it…The gasp that alerted me to the fact that there _were_ other people to be thought of.

"Bella? Wh-what are…"

And that's when all hell broke loose…well…what _I_ consider to be hell anyway.

--

My eyes widened, and both Edward and my self went stock still. All the sound seemed to flood back into my ears, and all movement around me became more prominent. It felt like the world was in fast forward and I was moving at normal rate.

Slowly, one foot at a time, I stepped off of Edward's feet, and let my arms drop to my sides, keeping my head down. My stomach clenched and it felt like there was something stuck in my throat.

_Well this is awkward…_

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes momentarily, before glancing up to gouge how Alice was reacting. Alice's face was incredulous…border line mortified. Her mouth was open a little and her eyes unfathomable.

I looked back down hurriedly, "Um…" I swallowed painfully.

_Oh, very articulate._

"What….I thou-thought that you….I…._What?_" Alice's voiced turned sharp and I flinched. That was her 'I-want-to-know-what's-going-on-now' tone, not good. One day her child is going to quake in fear at the thought of defying their mother.

People were staring more. They were interested when Edward and I were together, this just added to the whole thing. There was almost a circle around us, the people dancing half-heartedly, but their eyes on us. My eyes drifted over their faces, all of them blurring together into one sea of coulour.

I shook my head, deciding it better to look at her and not at everyone else; this had nothing to do with them. My heart was beating like mad, and I could feel my palms getting sweaty. Gaping like a fish, I finally got out, "Alice," my tone was reproachful, making me sound even guiltier.

I glanced at Edward for help, he was standing there looking kind of sheepish, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. Oh, thanks Edward, that makes us look even more 'not-wanting-you-to-find-out'.

I turned to Jasper, who was behind Alice, his hand on her shoulder. I guess they had got on all right. One good sign- yet not enough to relieve me.

"Alice," I tried again. "I need to tell-_talk_ to you about something."

"I should think so." Alice didn't look angry, which was somewhat comforting, she just looked…out of it, like a lost pup.

Sighing, I glanced once more at Edward. He gave me a sympathetic smile that told me, good luck.

Minutely, I was angry with him. That was all he could give in the way of help? But I had more important things to focus on, and I could deal with Edward later.

I took Alice's wrist and lead her to a quieter corner of the gym. Jasper moved to stand next to Edward, watching us depart. I had a feeling they would be watching us for a while to come.

My heart was thumping against my rib cage and I was so, so worried. I had no time to prepare, and no insight into how Alice was going to take things.

I kept hold of Alice's wrist, but she let her arm drop, forcing me to let go. "What's going on, Bella?"

Putting my hands over my face I took a deep breath, before locking eyes with Alice, trying to find the right wording.

"Al, I don't know where to begin to explain."

"The beginning always works best." I could see the agitation starting to build up in her eyes, not good at all. _Just spit it out Bella!_

"Okay then, I'll tell you everything." I breathed deeply, trying to calm myself so I wouldn't waver so much. "A while ago, Edward approached me as he does often, but his motives were different. He wanted something…_me_, and he really was trying not to be a jerk." Alice scoffed at this, crossing her arms over her chest; she was getting more and more miffed.

_Talk fast, talk fast, talk fast…_

"I kept rejecting him, over and _over_, but eventually…I just…I _saw _something Alice. He was trying so hard, and really putting himself on the line." As I said these words, I knew how true they were. I hadn't really thought about why I had said yes to him in the first place, I _had_ seen something in him. I shook my head in wonder. "Alice, there is so much more beneath all that confidence…The confidence is more of a cover than anything else."

Alice was shaking her head before I had finished. She obviously was finding it hard to believe Edward was more than the ass hole he makes himself out to be. I didn't blame her really…

"I know, he is a little rough around the edges, but hardly anyone has gone deep enough to see the person he is inside." I defended hurriedly. I don't think it was smart to let her think too much, I needed her to understand before it was too late and she had already decided on her opinions.

"How can you say that?" Alice snapped suddenly and I cringed. I had been waiting for this of course. I didn't have time to use the Jasper card; I don't even know how the jasper card went! "You know how awful he is to me and what his family has put us through."

Alice stared me down with hard eyes, strikingly blue and penetrating.

"He's been trying!" I groaned. "You know that, you've seen it. He is trying so hard to accept."

Alice frowned, incredulous. "Accept _what?_ He's gotten everything from the word 'go'; what's he to accept? The fact that all he has to do is click his fingers to get anything he wants?"

My tone was becoming desperate. I rubbed my temple, trying to push out the stress and stay in control.

"No! You know that's not the case, I've _seen_ Alice. Everything isn't as perfect for him as you think. Do you think it doesn't hurt him to know that his dad causes his mum so much pain and that he went and had a child with another woman when he knew he had a son on the way already? Can you understand _that_?"

That seemed to stop Alice short. It looked as though she was trying to scrape for something to say while still keeping her anger for Edward's whole family. Her eyes were softening by the second and her features becoming less severe.

"Do you think its fair that he's tried to stick with his family even though he knew it was his own flesh and bloods fault?" I pressed on, I could finally feel that I was getting somewhere with this. "What would you do in his situation? If your mum can forgive, why can't you?"

Alice was about to say something, then seemed to change tact. "But- but he's a jerk! A Player! Who's to say he isn't using you?"

Her question struck hard, almost like getting pushed over and having the wind knocked out of you. It's something I didn't want to think about. I sucked in a breath, "It's a risk I'm willing to take, Alice. You can't know everything that's going to happen so you have to take chances, and I'm willing to take this one."

In saying that, I realised that that was the thing that hits the hardest with Alice. She's always been so sure of her future, my future, what to expect, and then the carpet is pulled out from under her feet and she's left groping for some sense of rightfulness.

"Besides,- what about Jasper and you?"

Alice turned coy, forgetting her anger, eyeing me from the corner of her eye before looking everywhere but at me. "What about me and Jasper?"

Smirking slightly, I gave her a knowing look. "It really isn't that different from my situation, you know?"

"Yeah, except the fact that Jaspers never done anything mean to you, and oh, he's not your half brother."

_Ouch_… To me, that was something that was so hard to get over. It shocked me every time I thought about it. Alice put it so bluntly, it made my breathing hitch.

"Yeah, except those two huge facts- and also that I've been very supportive, it's so obvious you like him," I teased lightly, getting off the topic of 'he's not nice'. "Everything else is similar though. You can not tell me that Jasper hasn't shocked you more than ever these past few days."

Realisation lighted her face, her eyes widened and she looked at me with accusing eyes. "That's why you've been all cool about Rosalie- _Rosalie _and Emmett, as well as the whole thing with Jasper. How long have you been keeping this from me exactly?"

_Damn_…I really didn't want this question to come up. How long _had _it been? A month and bit?

"Longer than I've wanted to, believe me." I sighed, hedging, hoping to God she could see the sincerity in my eyes. "I've wanted to come clean about this for so long, there just wasn't a good time, you've reacted better than I can hope for."

Alice was quiet for a while, looking down as she contemplated. I waited as patiently as I could, rocking with anticipation. She met my eyes finally, staring intently. "Bella, as long as you're happy, I'm fine with any of your decisions."

"He does make me happy, makes me laugh…" I trailed off, biting my lip, deep in thought. It sounded so…foreign. I hadn't been able to have this girl time, to talk about how much I really was feeling. _It was odd…_

"Do you love him?"

The question came out of no where; it snapped me back into the present. It was like getting pushed into a pool of ice cold water when you weren't expecting it. Alert and numb at the same time.

"_What_? No!" I didn't- couldn't, how? "I mean, I-I-I….N-no, you don't fall in love that quick…no" No…I can't love him, it's just….no. Such a simple question, it made my mind spin. I was still in that cold water.

Alice nodded, eyeing me in a weird way. I tried to concentrate on her, but my head was still whirling at my own personal question, 'could I love him?' "Okay, Bella, just be careful, okay?" I nodded absentmindedly. There was a pause as Alice assessed me. "…Why aren't you wearing any shoes?"

I followed her gaze to my bare feet, wiggling my toes and couldn't help but laugh. What a good distraction. "Those things are weapons of mass ankle destruction."

Alice smiled, "Fair enough". I could tell I was forgiven, it was like a huge weight had been lifted off my chest, and I could breath easy. I didn't have to hide anymore; _we _didn't have to hide anymore.

That pleased me a little more than I expected.

Alice turned her gaze on the guys, biting her lip. Her eyes were worried and anxious…and yet, the curve at the corner of her lip hinted that she was excited almost.

I felt it too, the prospect of having a new…lifestyle almost.

I followed her gaze, crossing my arms over my chest as I assessed the two guys that had stayed where we left them. They were talking to each other, looking out of place where everyone else was moving and they were still.

My curiosity surged as Jasper glanced our way once again, eyes only for Alice. His gaze lingered, alerting Edward to our watchful eyes. "So, are you going to tell me exactly what happened with Jasper?" I tried again.

Alice sighed, dropping her arms. "Do you want to get a drink?" Alice started towards the table with drinks, leaving me standing there on my own.

I chased after her, looping our arms together so she couldn't get away again. "Are you trying to avoid the topic?" I asked, already knowing the answer, just wanting to embarrass her a little.

"No," she said, a little too casually. "I'm just thirsty…"

I raised my eyebrows, letting it go with a shrug. She can count on the fact that I would get her later.

Alice stopped at the table and got herself a drink. I leaned against the table, watching her curiously. How to tackle this? She's shyer than I ever expected about this…One tough cookie to crack, that's for sure.

"Ahem," Mary cleared her throat loudly, coming to stand in between her daughter and myself. She raised her eyebrows and came in close to my face to say, "You're lucky I had your father distracted during that little _public display of affection_ with Edward earlier." My eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, and I went completely red in the face. Alice snorted ungracefully then cracked up laughing her tinkling laughter at the look on my face. Even Mary had a smirk on her face.

"He would have had a heart attack," Alice giggled. I let out the breath I hadn't realised I was holding in. At least Alice could find humour in all this, that's all that I would worry about now. "How'd you distract him?"

Mary looked slyly at the two of us. "Oh, I have my ways, don't you worry."

Alice and I shared a look before putting up our hands up and said together, "Don't want to know."

Mary laughed at our expressions, grabbing Alice's hand, turning from fun mum to serious. "Are you okay?" I guess she could see some change in Alice, like the good mother she was. I decided to give them some privacy.

I walked back round the walls of the gym until I got to where I had left my shoes. I picked them up by the straps and faced the dilemma of putting them on with out A) Tripping, or B) flashing. Neither sounded very appealing.

"So, should I fear the wrath of Alice?"

I let out a breezy laugh. "No, she's…being understanding, Edward," I used his arm to help support me as I tried to pull on my shoe.

"I see," he said, sounding as though he was trying to suppress some excitement. I could tell he was elated; _finally_, no more hiding.

Edward felt me wobble as I pulled the strap over my heel so he steadied me by putting his arm around my waist. "Thanks"

"You're welcome," I finished getting my shoes on, already feeling awkward and like a tree about to go 'timber' at any minute. Edward was biting his lip, staring out into space, keeping his arm around my waist.

"Edward?" I nudged him a little, breaking him out of his reverie. His breath-taking green eyes slid back to me and a crooked smile lit up his face. He opened his mouth to say something when-

"Are you two, like…seeing each other or something?" Jessica Stanley asked in her air-head voice, Lauren at her side, staring at the two of us with distaste and a raging curiosity.

My body then became fully alert to the arm still tight around my middle, the arm the Jessica and Lauren were eyeing, the arm that was drawing more and more people's attention.

Edward's arm slacked a little and I found myself inching my self a bit farther away from him. We shared a look that conveyed the same message. What _were_ we, exactly?

"Um," was all I could manage, articulate as ever. Edward cleared his throat, seeming to have the same speaking impairment as well.

Jessica seemed to be having a field day. "Oh, my God. You _so are_!" Even though Edward was her latest boyfriend she didn't seem to be feeling the usual green monster on her back. The wow factor was all that was going through her brain. "I have to tell Rosalie." Jessica did her little duck waddling walk slash run thing away.

Lauren just continued staring. I felt like something was chewing at my insides, I didn't like her staring like that at me. Her eyes were unfathomable, almost dazed. "Whoa," she finally got out slowly, shaking her head.

That seemed to be the point where everyone started talking. My eyes darted from person to person as their chatter filled my head.

Tyler was the first, "Well, never expected this to _actually_ happen."

"Yeah, I hear you dude." Austin agreed.

Katie's turn, "I wonder how long this is going to last." _Thanks…_

"Nah, Bella's pretty cute." My eyes zeroed in on Mike at that comment.

Tyler seemed to agree, "She's got a little something…"

"Good going man." Austin directed this at Edward, walking past him to slap in on the shoulder as a 'well done'. There were several comments a like from the guys, while the girls were being sceptical.

"Well don't I feel like a prize pig." I muttered to myself, rolling my eyes. This was…awful, having all these people judging me. I used to not care, but this…this was different. I was exposed and all these people who never gave me the slightest mind were now fawning about me.

Edward took me by the shoulders, turning me to face him so he could look at me. "I'm sorry Bella; you're not a prize or anything. I swear, you're so much more than that, you're-"

"Ha, well isn't this precious…" _No, what was he going to say! _"Who would have thought they'd see the day when _Bella_ Swan would end up with Masen?"

I groaned, tossing my head back before facing Rosalie. She was smiling, enjoying this way too much. Emmett was standing slightly behind her, tall above everyone else. Edward sighed, exasperated. _When was this going to end?_

Emmett gave me a questioning look and I tried to convey as much as I could with my face. I knew he'd had a clue from early on, right when Edward started this whole escapade, I just hoped he could see it for what it was now and not ask too many questions.

"I mean, come on, this is just…" Rosalie searched for some kind of word to explain the whole 'Edward plus Bella equals couple' thing. _I DIDN'T EVEN GET IT!_

Emmett seemed to get the point and in a disapproving tone said, "Rosalie…". _Oh boy, this will be interesting to see go down._

Rosalie turned her surprised gaze to Emmett's rarely serious face. Her face changed, softened as she took in his face. Her shoulders slumped and she gave up finishing her sentence.

_Oh my goodness…Go Emmett! He so needs to tell me how he did that!_

Emmett clapped his hands, getting everyone's attention. "Alright people! Move away, people do need to breathe their own air you know!" People stared at Emmett's large body and reluctantly began breaking away. I mouthed a thank you at him and he smiled, shrugging it off.

Edward took hold of my hand almost immediately, tugging me lightly towards the chairs on the side of the room, away from prying eyes- and ears.

"Bella," he started, sitting me down. His expression distressed, yet still completely…adorable. "I'm so sorry. That wasn't a good start to this and-" I put my hand over his mouth to stop him.

"Edward, it's okay. That wasn't the most desirable scene just then but it's…human nature. I wouldn't expect anything different from that whole…jumble." My nose scrunched at the thought. At least I knew…That's as bad as it could get…right? Oh _crap_…I just damned myself for more bad luck. _Please let sick irony not have a role in my life!_

Edward chuckled a little, leaning back against the wall, relief flooding his features. "I guess that's true."

There was a silence. Not uncomfortable, just one where we were both reminiscing and looking to what was to come.

"I have to know, what are we exactly?" I couldn't help but ask it. We weren't boy friend and girl friend…yet. But it's not like we are just friends or anything. I don't know what we were.

Edward looked at me, startled by the sudden question. "What do you want us to be?" There was vulnerability in his voice and his eyes, the window to the soul…

I don't think he'd ever had this much commitment put on him, making him just as careful as I was in this topic of discussion. Of course he'd had relationships before, but he knew that this wasn't some a no-strings attached fling. It was comforting and worrying at the same time. It made me feel a bit more secure…and just as worried about his commitment levels.

"I'm not sure yet. It's up to you as well. What do you want me to be exactly?"

Edward leaned forward, elbows on his thighs, staring at his hands for a long time. I looked at his hands as well, piano fingers… My gaze travelled up his arm and to the side of his well chiselled face, perfect features, long sooty eyelashes, smooth skin.

No wonder…

My eyes drooped as I thought about the comparisons between us. A side of me wondered why I was being so stubborn when this guy that was unfairly better looking than I could ever be wanted _me_.

But that was exactly it, I was stubborn, I knew that. I wouldn't- couldn't just put myself out there only to be walked all over and get myself broken. I didn't want to suffer that if it wasn't necessary.

_The truth is everyone is going to hurt you. You just have to decide who's worth the pain…_

The saying came out of nowhere, I had remembered seeing it in some magazine and it had stuck with me. If I was going to get hurt somewhere along the line, minor or major, it was going to be for something worthwhile.

I heard Edward inhale deeply, like he was about to speak. "Bella," he began his voice soft as velvet. Involuntarily I found myself moving closer as I waited. Edward licked his lips before continuing, staring deeply into my eyes, and said with such simplicity, but so much feeling, "I want you to be my girlfriend. I want to be able to walk around with your hand in mine and not either of us care who sees."

My breathing hitched and my heart started beating faster, ramming against my rib cage. My lips slid into a smile and it was like there was a warm fuzzy feeling creeping up from the pit of my stomach. I wanted to squeal or make some obnoxious noise to release my overwhelming joy.

I knew Edward was waiting for a reply, assessing me with anxious eyes, worry etched into his features. Silly boy

"I want that too," I whispered softly, before leaning in and pressing my lips softly against his. Our promise kiss, the one that promised.

--

I've had over half this chapter finished since I last updated but –here's the 'but' (sigh)- as the rollercoaster called 'life' does, it went down into a slump and I just got distracted easily and lost my drive.

Many people reviewed recently saying I was trying to kill you all with that cliffy and lack of updating- SORRY ALL YOU DIE PEOPLE! I HOPE YOU ARE NOW ON A NON-DYING BASIS.

**IMPORTANT: ****IF YOU WANT A SAY IN THIS STORY, I HAVE A POLL UP! I WILL BE CLOSING IT VERY, VERY, VERY SOON! THE QUESTION IS**

**MORE DRAMA –I know what the drama is-**

**ONCE THINGS ARE SETTLED, NO MORE DRAMA, EPILOGUE, END**

**So, VOTE NOW! I will be closing in the next few days so get a move on people! XD**

…THEY'VE FINISHED FILMING TWILIGHT! NOW WE WILL HAVE HARDLY ANYTHING TO MAKE THE TIME FLY UNTIL AUGUST AND DECEMEBER- early _**2009**_ in my case, im glaring at all you people who get it December…and I am glaring so hard that you have _holes in your head…stupid ocean…makes things so far away…_ - …

_**Note: **_

**There will be more of Rosalie and Emmett**

**There will be some Bella and Edward (Much exploring of what it is to be in a relationship is to be done)**

**VOTE ON POLL**


End file.
